


Altered Reality

by astamari05



Category: Naruto
Genre: Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Character Death, Character Redemption, Drama, Eventual Romance, F/M, Family, Fluff and Humor, Gen, Mild Language, Pre-Naruto Canon Era, Team as Family
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-29
Updated: 2020-11-20
Packaged: 2021-02-27 12:20:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 24
Words: 79,072
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22017010
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/astamari05/pseuds/astamari05
Summary: As Kakashi waits for Obito one night to depart for a mission he hears a baby cry. Against his better judgement he investigates and what he finds leaves a bitter taste in his mouth. Of all things this was what he least expected. Read as Kakashi makes his decision, a decision that will alter the reality of the story of Naruto. One decision and one mistake, it means the same at the end of the day. A story of love, redemption and family.
Relationships: Hatake Kakashi & Uchiha Obito, Hatake Kakashi & Uzumaki Naruto, Hyuuga Hinata/Uzumaki Naruto, Uzumaki Naruto & Everyone
Comments: 61
Kudos: 223





	1. The Fox and the Hound

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! So this is my very first fanfic and it means a lot since it's inspired by Naruto (an anime close to my heart) so I hope you guys enjoy it and please review!

Inu looked up at the night sky. There wasn't a star that could be seen, and the moon hid behind the clouds. He could feel a breeze, gentle yet ominous. Something was wrong and to prove him right, a baby's cry could be heard. He moved his head towards the direction of the sound and questioned whether he should investigate. He was waiting for Hawk as they were supposed to head out for a mission, but Hawk was nowhere to be found. Inu sighed and decided to see what was wrong. He jumped down from where he sat perched on the highest building in Konoha's centre. Hawk would just have to look for him, that's if he even bothered to show up. He was always late, caught up with one thing or the other. Then again, this mission wasn't urgent. It was a simple run-in-and-investigate type of mission so it could wait. The only reason why they had decided to leave the night after they had received the mission was simple: they currently had nothing better to do and were extremely bored.

Team Rou, Inu's squad, was on medical leave as every member, including himself, was injured after their last mission. Inu was just crazy and restless enough to request yet another mission. Hawk, while not being a member of the elite ANBU team himself, but rather the temporary substitute ANBU member and self-proclaimed best friend of Inu, volunteered to assist him. Hawk received protests from said man, but they fell on deaf ears. Even the Hokage himself approved of the suggestion. He had acted so smugly after that but didn't even bother showing up on time to the mission he insisted on going on.

"Tsk," Inu muttered as he landed on his feet and moved towards where he heard the cry.

Inu found himself in one of Konoha's parks. It should have been empty but instead there he was, crouched next to the swings, bawling his eyes out. Of all things and of all children, this was what he least expected.

"Damn it!" he said as he approached the injured golden-haired child. "Come here, Naruto." But the child showed no intention of moving towards him. Instead, Naruto scrambled to his feet and moved further away. Inu felt anger surge in him but another emotion as well. Longing? Guilt? Shame, perhaps for knowing that it shouldn't be this way and he promised to never betray those he cared about, but he failed yet again? Whatever it was had to wait. He needed to get to Naruto and then see the Hokage, mission be damned.

He took off his ANBU mask and tried once more, "Naruto, come here. I won't hurt you."

To his surprise, Naruto responded, "Don't lie."

Inu sighed, knowing that he wouldn't be able to reach out to him. He swiftly made his way towards Naruto and grabbed him. The child thrashed his legs and screamed but to no avail. Inu held on to him tighter than he already was holding him and ran towards the Hokage Tower.

"Hey," he said to the child, "I know you're scared but it's going to be okay."

It was rather awkward trying to talk to Naruto while rooftop jumping but at least he seemed calmer than before. If whimpering could be considered calm but at least he wasn't still screaming. When they finally arrived at the tower, Inu made his way to the Hokage's office. He knew that the Saindaime Hokage was still there as the lights of his office illuminated the dark passage.

Hiruzen Sarutobi was shocked to say the least at sight he saw the before him. The ANBU captain whose silver hair defied gravity holding on to a petite child who was supposed to be sleeping and most definitely not in his office.

"And this, Kakashi?" he asked, unsure if he wanted the answer.

"You tell me, Hokage-sama. I was waiting for Obito to leave for our mission when I heard a baby crying. And this is what I found: Naruto crying, alone and injured in a park of all places."

Hiruzen sighed, "Must have been kicked out again. Thank you, Kakashi for bringing him here. I'll sort this out and you leave for your mission."

Kakashi made no move to hand the child over causing Hiruzen to raise an eyebrow.

"I take it you have something else to say then?"

"With all due respect, Hokage-sama, what do you plan on doing with Naruto after this? You said it yourself that this has happened more than once."

"Kakashi, it's not so simple. The people refuse to see him as a child and choose to view him as the Kyuuubi's reincarnate. I have tried and will continue to do so."

"Hokage-sama, do you see that working? Once people have an opinion it's difficult to convince them otherwise. Naruto's situation will only get worse."

"That is the last thing I want for him but there isn't another way. With my duties and the advisors, no matter how much I want, I wouldn't be able to a thing."

"Then pass on the responsibility to me," Kakashi said, surprising both himself and the Hokage. He said it without thinking, yet he didn't have any doubt in his words.

"Kakashi, surely you don't mean that. As honourable as your request may be, I cannot grant you permission." Hiruzen wanted to but there was no way.

"And why not?" Kakashi felt his temper about to rise.

"You have no experience with children, seeing that even as a Genin you never once babysat and you have also grown up as an only child, a mature one at that. You also have a permanent residence but refuse to even step foot in it and instead chose to stay in the Jonin/ANBU hostels. Speaking of, you are an ANBU captain that takes missions frequently and rarely ever take a break from work, as proven from tonight. Need I say more?"

Kakashi clenched and unclenched his fist but he refused to let it end there. "Then I'll change."

"How so, Kakashi? By leaving ANBU and returning to your childhood home? You know just as well as I that that will not happen anytime soon." Hiruzen knew he had won. It was a bitter win but there was no way the silver-haired nin would be able to change so much of himself.

"All I'm asking for is a chance. Naruto needs this and so do I. Please," he asked, his voice close to cracking. It was true, he needed Naruto because as much as Obito, Gai, and so many others tried he was breaking. It was reaching the point where he told himself that the next mission he would mess up. He would make just one tiny, calculated mistake that would cost him his life. That way he'll see Sensei and Kushina-san and Rin again. He might even see his father.

"I wanna stay with him," a soft voice said.

Silence filled the room.

"Naruto, you don't-" Hiruzen tried to tell him that he didn't understand but Naruto who had remained silent the entire time shook his head.

"I wanna stay." Kakashi looked and the child he held in his arms and then at the Hokage. Naruto stared big-eyed at the Hokage and it looked like the older man was having a silent argument with the child. If Kakashi wasn't fighting for Naruto's custody, he was sure he would've laughed at the sight. Naruto was winning it seemed as the Hokage sighed.

Hiruzen relented, "Very well. Kakashi, I'll grant you a month. You may raise Naruto however you see fit and I won't object. But, if after a month I see that not much improvement has taken place then I will see to Naruto and you will continue your duties to the Village. That is my final decision," Hiruzen walked towards Kakashi from where he sat behind his desk and squeezed Naruto's cheek.

"Don't disappoint me."

"I won't," he said confidently.

"Good. And Kakashi please tell Obito outside the window that your mission will be passed to another team and explain to him of your current situation." With that Hiruzen left.

Kakashi stood dumbfounded that the Hokage had actually granted him permission to care for Naruto. He was knocked back to reality when he heard a rap on the window. Looking outside, he understood what the Hokage meant. Hawk, who finally decided to show up was hanging outside the office's window. His mask sat skew on his face his heavy breathing made the part of the window fog up. He was in a rush to find Kakashi, worried that he might've been left behind. Even Naruto looked confused by the man.

"Oi, Kakashi! You got some explaining to do!"

Kakashi sighed, "Naru-chan, you better not end up like Baka over there."

"Teme! I can hear you. Wait, is that Naruto?!"

Naruto giggled and for the first time in a long time, Kakashi felt content.


	2. Hawk's Suggestion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guys thank you so much for the kudos! I'll be updating this fic weekly on a Sunday since I'll be starting school soon but please review and tell me what you think... Give me ideas for later chapters and I might consider them to make this better than it it :)

"So, let me get this straight, Hokage-sama is passing the mission to someone else?" Obito looked at Kakashi with big eyes. They were at Kakashi's place at the Jonin/ANBU hostels. It wasn't very big, but neither was it small. It had enough space as required but that was it. One bedroom, one bathroom, a living area and a small kitchen. Kakashi quite like the place as it didn't require as much maintenance that regular apartments needed. Except now he would need to move since there wouldn't be enough space for Naruto.

"Of all things you choose to focus on that?" Kakashi asked, holding a now sleeping Naruto in his arms. They were sitting on his tiny couch in the living area.

"Of course! You know how I stressed I was thinking you left without me? I fell asleep earlier on after helping this Oji-chan move his things to his new house. I was so tired I freaking passed out when I got home and then when I woke up, it was time for our mission. I rushed only to find that you weren't even there!"

"Remind me again how you passed Genin rank," Kakashi rolled his eyes at his former teammate.

"Tsk. Though, are you really prepared to do this?" Obito said as Kakashi cradled Naruto in his arms, his eyes never fixed on the blond child. He had never seen his friend this nurturing towards anything, maybe towards his ninken, but it was still an unusual sight.

"What do you think? Do you think I'm going to let him go back to whatever shitty place he came from just so they can screw him over?"

"You know that's not what I meant but-"

"Obito this is Sensei and Kushina-san's son. We owe it to them; I owe it to them. I failed so many times, but I won't do it again," Kakashi said, almost pleadingly.

Obito smiled, "Yosh, since you feel so passionate about this, I'll help you out."

"As if I'll let Naruto grow up with you as an older brother. He'll end up being more stupid than you." A tick mark sized vein appeared on Obito's forehead.

"Rather that have Naruto grow up with a stick up his ass like you."

"What are you implying, Baka?!"

"You heard me, Teme!" A pause. They looked at each other before bursting into laughter. They were thankful for moments like these. It was dark times they were living in, with the Uchiha uprising and ROOT being even suspicious than they already were.

Kakashi got up, "Look, I'm going to put Naruto down in my room before we wake him up. We'll talk after that." On his short walk to his room, Kakashi close-eyed smiled at Naruto. He would have never expected that after just a few hours since meeting the child, he would feel so at peace. In that brief time nothing else mattered.

He laid Naruto down in his bed and carefully covered him with all the blankets he had in his room. He could only imagine how long Naruto had been outside before he found him; the child was freezing. Before he left, he hesitated on what to do. Usually the kid receives a good night kiss from his parent, right? Kakashi shook his head. He couldn't do it, not right now.

Meanwhile Obito moved to Kakashi's kitchen. He made himself coffee, what were friends for if not for abusing their kitchen as their own. He honestly didn't expect Kakashi to react that way after finding out about Naruto. He was angry himself; he couldn't see a good enough reason why the Hokage let him go through all that. Naruto was only three years old and the Hokage was supposed to see to it that everyone in the village was safe, no exceptions. Obito refused to believe that Hokage-sama didn't have enough time to take care of Naruto. It had always been his dream to be Hokage but if being Hokage meant turning your back on your people, then what was the point?

 _Sensei and Kushina-san died for Naruto to be protected not alienised,_ he thought to himself.

"Arigato, Obito." Kakashi entered the kitchen.

"Don't thank me yet. What's the plan after this?"

"Tomorrow I'm checking Naruto into hospital."

"Why?" Obito asked.

"He needs a health exam. His wounds need treatment and Kami knows what else the kid had to go through before being left alone in the park."

Kakashi sighed, "I'm also going to move back to my old place…"

"Your old- Wait are you sure?"

"If I'm going to raise Naruto, I wouldn't be able to do it here."

Obito knew Kakashi was right but he wondered if it was the right decision. He knew that the last time Kakashi had lived there his father was still alive.

"You gonna train him?" Obito said, trying to lighten the mood.

"Of course. Naruto's going to surpass us all."

"Good. I actually have a few ideas, since we're both ANBU-"

"He's three."

"He's also the Yellow Flash and Red-Hot Habanero's son. You have the best ANBU team, and you have me, future Godaime Hokage."

Kakashi scoffed, "As if that'll ever happen." Though Obito did have a point. Naruto was the son of two of the best ninjas of Konoha and was about to be raised by a man leading the best ANBU team the village has so why not take advantage of the situation? Granted he was going to have hell trying to explain to his teammates, but they'll agree. Eventually, anyway. He thought back to how he saw Naruto the first time in years, alone and abandoned in the park. He knew from Kushina-san that Jinchuuriki's never led easy lives but maybe this way he could change that. Naruto was destined for greatness and hell if anyone disagreed with that.

"Okay, we'll do it your way. One condition though; you're on potty training duty."

Obito groaned in response.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I know that this chapter was short but trust me as the chapters increase so will the amount of words... Until next time!


	3. Weasel Helps Out

It had been a week since Kakashi spoke to Obito about his plans to raise Naruto. Said child was currently at Konoha Centre Hospital and Kakashi made sure that either he or Obito were able to visit Naruto at least once a day to ensure that he was being treated properly. Though now that was the least of his problems. It had taken a day to move all of his belongings, which wasn't much, to Hatake Manor. Pakkun and Obito assisted in buying the necessary things involved in raising a child but of course that led to unnecessary complications, such as:

"Strawberry- Tastic taste better than that peachy crap you call baby food!"

"What do you know about what Naru-chan likes better?!"

"Clearly more than you, you mangy mutt! You're a freaking dog."

"And you being human makes you superior than me? I have supple paws!"

"The hell that gotta do with anything?!"

Even thinking about it gave him a headache. The only thing left for Kakashi to do was get his team involved and that was going to be tough. Naruto was going to be checked out in a day's time and he was yet to implement his rather well thought out plan, if he said so himself. He was fond of Team Rou, considered them his nakama but while they were the infamous elite unit in ANBU, much was left to be desired in terms other than skill. Each member had their own problems and that's what made them strong; the fact that no one else could understand them and there was a place a for them in this world despite everyone else rejecting them. It was also for this very reason that Team Rou was especially difficult to deal with. Put skill aside and you're left with a ragtag group of social rejects.

Kakashi thought about it long and hard, if was to have any luck with his team accepting the newest addition, he was going to have to convince the sanest member that this was a good idea and ironically, this happened to be youngest of them all: Itachi Uchiha. Though he looked and acted calm and collected, Team Rou knew not to underestimate the Uchiha prodigy for it was for it was exactly how he acted when assassinating; not making any expression. He was, however, reasonable and sweet to those he cared about, especially his otouto, Sasuke, also known as his weakness. Kakashi had a plan and if that plan was to succeed then he would need to use Itachi's vulnerable spot. Sure, it was wrong of him to use such a vulnerability on his young teammate who looked up to him, but it wasn't like he would lose anything in the end. This was just a ploy to reel him in and once he caught him the remaining Team Rou members could be tackled.

Luckily for him, Itachi was able to take missions again and they were scheduled to depart on a mission together. Though it didn't go unnoticed by the Hokage and Kakashi had to assure him that no he was not running away from Naruto, he was in hospital and yes, he had no ulterior motives to taking on this mission. The last part may have been a lie but what Hokage-sama didn't know wouldn't hurt him. It was a simple mission, just guarding a team of Chunin on their way to deliver a scroll from the Hokage to Suna from potential rogue nin.

This mission was perfect as he would not only be distracted from the aching feeling of not seeing Naruto (the sap he was becoming), he could discuss things with Itachi. Smiling to himself at his ability to come up with a plan with little possibility of failing he made his way from the hospital and made his way to Konoha's gate to leave for the mission.

* * *

"Yo , Itachi," Kakashi greeted the young Uchiha in his usual laid-back manner.

"Taicho, please don't address me as that we are on a mission and please put on your mask," Itachi replied. He was glad to finally be on missions again; it served as an escape from the pressure his family was putting on him since he had joined ANBU. He and Kakashi were perched in a tall tree watching over the Chunin.

"Right. So, Itachi," the boy inwardly groaned, "You have a brother,right?"

"Sasuke,"Itach curtly replied.

"And he's about three years old now?" Itachi raised an eyebrow under his mask mimicking a weasel.

"That is correct… Taicho why are you bringing this up?"

Kakashi close-eyed smiled at him, "Well, I was looking for advice since I recently adopted."

Itachi stared at his captain. No, he was joking. There was no way his captain had adopted it was impossible and if it was true, he couldn't imagine how the child was going to turn out.

"A-adopted? Surely you don't mean you adopted an actual child?"

"Yep."

If it wasn't for the fact that they were surrounded by nature and the Chunin they were guarding were having a hushed conversation, a pin would have been heard.

"Itachi? You still there?" Kakashi asked his young teammate currently staring at him like he had two heads.

"Taicho, please tell me you are joking," his voice was soft, still trying to get over the shock.

"Nope, I actually adopted the Yondaime's son. Obito agreed to co-parent with me."

Suddenly, Itachi had the urge to faint. This was worse than what he couldn't even imagine. Kakashi hadn't just adopted a child, no he had adopted the Yondaime's son, the container for the Kyuubi- the monster that had caused his clan to revolt but worse than all that, _Obito Uchiha_. Obito Uchiha was infamous in his clan but it was not for that that Itachi was near collapse, it was the mere thought of the Yondaime's son being raised by both his captain and the man known for being a remarkably idiotic ninja despite his feats. Kami help Konoha.

"I think, Taicho - I think of all the things you have ever done; this is the worst."

"Now I wouldn't say that…" Kakashi chuckled slightly.

"You have adopted the Yondaime's son and you have Obito Uchiha helping you raise him. You two that can't go an hour without arguing have adopted a child that is more dangerous than most enemy nin."

"Well when you say it like that," Kakashi paused and looked way from Itachi, "Look, Itachi, I get why you think it's a bad idea. To be honest I wonder myself if what I'm doing is the right thing, but I just can't leave him alone. You know what it's like growing up with expectations and Naruto-his is just reversed. What would you do if Sasuke had to go through what his going through right now?"

Itachi knew what Kakashi was doing, using Sasuke against him. It didn't help that he knew what his captain was saying was right. He hated the path that he had to walk down and surely when Naruto grew up, he would hate the road that he had no part in choosing. Sasuke was the same age as Naruto and Itachi refused to even imagine his beloved otouto in that position. He sighed.

"Taicho, you're sly, using Sasuke against me." Kakashi faced him again, this time with what seemed like smirk on his face.

"I take it that it worked," it wasn't even a question, Kakashi knew that he had won.

"I'll help you alright but just don't expect the rest of our team to take it as lightly as I did."

"Of course not. Arigatou, Ita-chan."

"I told you not to never call me that," Itachi said quietly and if he wasn't wearing his mask, a slight pout would have been seen. Kakashi started calling him that after he overheard his mother refer to him as that, much to Itachi's embarrassment. His captain said he found it cute; how the Uchiha heir, treated like an unformidable force, was called Ita-chan by his mother no less. Itachi knew he only said it to make him feel at ease and it worked, but it still felt embarrassing.

Kakashi laughed, "And that's why you're my favourite kouhai. Just don't tell Tenzou."

"Taicho, please stop."

"Are, are, are. Itachi just don't forget that you don't have to carry the weight of the world on your shoulders."

"I know, Taicho."

"Good. Now back to business- it seems like we got company." Kakashi pointed eastwards and put on his mask again. For what seemed liked the millionth time, though it had only been the second time, Itachi sighed.

"Hai."


	4. Welcome to the family, Pup!

Obito trudged his way back to his apartment. He was exhausted after helping an elderly woman with her groceries. Why anyone would need that much peaches, he would never know. Thinking of peaches brought back memories of Kakashi's stupid dog. Who did he think he was, telling him that Just Peachy was better baby food than Strawberry-Tastic? He was a dog, albeit with extremely soft paws that no one could resist touching, but what did that have to with anything? Great, now he was thinking about that of all things.

On his way home, he couldn't shake the feeling that he was late for something. Something important. Granted he was always late for everything, but it just didn't feel right. Oh well, it'll come back to him and thus, he continued walking home. It wasn't until he reached the entrance of the Jonin/ANBU hostels that he remembered exactly what he was late for.

 _Oh Kami, Kakashi is going to kill me,_ he thought to himself as he began to run in the direction of Konoha Centre Hospital. _Wait, Kakashi had that mission with Itachi yesterday, he shouldn't be back until noon. Wait, no, shit, it's already one. Fuck, I'm a dead man._

It was a race against the odds but nevertheless, he persisted. He ran as fast as he could, leaping from building to building. Many stared at him, both citizen and ninja alike, wondering exactly what Obito Uchiha was late for yet again. Their stares did not faze him, no, they pushed him forward. He heard the gossip as he leapt, resisted the urge to stop running entirely and confront those stupid Genin thinking they were better than him, he could always do that later.

Soon, his destination was in his sight. He jumped down from the building he was on, though not as graceful as he should have been as a ninja. He greeted the old woman he helped earlier on, still carrying those damn peaches. He nearly tripped over a toddler, who was playing in the middle of the street while his mother chatted away with what seemed like her best friend. _Women, they never have their priorities checked,_ he thought not realising what a hypocrite he was being. He picked up his pace, the hospital now within an arm's reach and finally, after what seemed like a lifetime, he made it. He had defied fate and could claim his prize. With a smug grin plastered on his face, he walked up the hospital's entrance and that is when he knew he lost.

He had no chance of wining since the beginning. He was Obito Uchiha for Kami's sake! No amount of praying or hoping could save him now. There he stood in front of Obito, the ninja who was listed as a Rank A wanted ninja in enemy villages' Bingo Book, his very name struck fear in the hearts of those who opposed him, Kakashi Hatake and cradled in his arms was none other than Naruto Uzumaki, the child he had to discharge from the hospital.

"Obito-nii, baka!" Naruto giggled happily as Kakashi glared at him. Obito gulped.

It was official: Obito Uchiha was a dead man.

* * *

"You imbecile! How could you forget to pick him up?!" Kakashi shouted at what many referred to as his best friend before decking him.

"It wasn't on purpose, I swear, I just got a little side-tracked," Obito said as he rubbed his head. Man, Kakashi could really pack a punch. He was definitely going to have a bruise.

They were at Hatake Manor, Obito sprawled out on the floor of the unfurnished living room and Kakashi towering above him. Naruto was playing in the garden outside, oblivious to what was going on. The lucky little shit. Obito glanced around the room. It was actually surprising how quickly they were able to change the once isolated place to something more homely, he had expected the move to take more than a week but they had successfully moved all of Kakashi's belongings to the manor in less than two days. It helped that Kakashi wasn't the materialistic type and preferred to rather have what was necessary. It was, however, questionable what the man deemed as a necessity, he had way too many of Jiraiya-sama's porn books in Obito's opinion.

 _No, bad Obito, focus,_ he told himself. It really wasn't the time to get distracted. Kakashi head bashing was more than enough for him to realise that

"A little side-tracked? Naruto was supposed to be discharged at ten. I got back at noon and you only got there passed one!"

"Wait, did you stay at the hospital longer, just to wait for me?" He knew Kakashi could be petty but wasn't that a little too much?

"That doesn't matter!" Kakashi sighed.

"Look, Baka, I've got better things to do and you forgetting to get Naruto isn't making anything easier."

"I said I was sorry alright. It was my fault for not picking him up but seriously, you already punched the hell out of me," Obito said, sitting up. The floor was actually comfy, in a weird wood kind of way, though Obito didn't understand it.

"How'd it go with Itachi?"

Kakashi glared at Obito for changing the subject, "He agreed to help."

"Well that's great, ain't it. What's got you so stressed?"

"Itachi's reasonable, the rest of Team Rou isn't. Itachi's gathering them for a meeting at the Third Training Ground and I need to work out a way to tell them about Pup."

"Pup?" Obito asked.

Kakashi shrugged, "I figured Naruto's going to have a new nickname since he's going to be the new addition to Team Rou."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Whoa. I get that I suggested that Naruto be trained by your team but as the new member? That's too much."

"Don't be stupid. It's unofficial of course and obviously Naruto part of Team Rou. I adopted him so he's just as much a part of the team as I am. Wait, don't tell me you're jealous," Kakashi was actually close to laughing, well maybe just a slight haha, but it was enough to keep him distracted from the prospect of meeting those dramatic bastards he called nakama.

"Jealous? Me, of Naruto? Please…" he pouted ("Only slightly!" he would later argue)

"But it's not fair! Why don't I get to be part of Team Rou?"

Kakashi rolled his eyes. He heard all of Obito's complaints of how he should be on Team Rou since he was "Just as batshit insane like the rest of them." Idiot.

"Baka, how many times must I explain that you're not cut out for ANBU? Especially not Team Rou. You're starting to sound like Gai now." Obito blanched. Being compared to the so called 'Green Beast of Konoha' didn't sit right with him. He knew he could be annoying, but it didn't hold a candle to Maito Gai, Kakashi's so called _eternal rival._ Just thinking of the green jumpsuit-wearing freak made him shudder.

"Okay, I got it. Just don't compare me to _him_ again."

"Whatever." Kakashi turned to call Naruto. "Naru-chan! We need to leave!"

"Hai, Kashi-nii!" Naruto came running in from the garden carrying a handful of clumsily picked flowers.

"Kashi-nii, I picked these for you," he said shyly as he handed them to Kakashi, who looked like it was a gift from the heavens.

"Ariagato, Naru-chan," Kakashi took the flowers and then picked Naruto up, careful not damage them. He nuzzled the child's neck while Naruto squirmed, giggling. It was cute, Obito had to admit. He never saw Kakashi this affectionate with anything before. He was definitely going to use this against him next time he got a chance.

Noticing Obito smirking at him, Kakashi cleared his throat and put Naruto down.

"Not a word about this, Obito." Obito nodded though he somehow got a feeling that this wouldn't be the only time Kakashi would act so lovingly to Naruto. Kushina-san was probably laughing wherever she was now at the once stoic-looking child, now nuzzling her baby boy.

"Right. Naru-chan say goodbye to Obito, we need to leave now."

Naruto waved at Obito, who felt his heart swell, "Bye-bye, Obito-nii."

"Bye Naru-chan."

* * *

Walking through the streets of Konoha with Naruto on your shoulders wasn't easy . For Kakashi, he had to resist the urge to throw the onlookers who stared at with disgust through the nearest building. For Naruto, he buried his head in Kakashi's silver mop known as hair to avoid the stares. It was an awkward position so Kakashi, despite Naruto's protests, removed Naruto from his shoulders and put him next to him on the ground. The child hid behind Kakashi's legs, earning an exasperated sigh from the ninja.

Kakashi looked down at Naruto, "Naru-chan, please start walking, I don't want to be late." _I already spend too much time with that Baka, I don't want to start picking up on that habit of his,_ he added as an afterthought.

"B-but Kashi-nii, they staring at me," Naruto said, his voice trembling. Suddenly, the urge to throw the villagers increased tenfold.

"I know, Naru-chan, but just ignore them. They won't do anything to you, I'm protecting you. You trust me, don't you Naru-chan?"

"Course, Kashi-nii."

"Good, now let's keep going," he bent down to ruffle Naruto's hair before grasping his hand and continuing to walk. Naruto seemed to calm down and the walk to Third Training Ground was somehow shorter. Along the way Naruto started to ask questions about where they were going.

"Well, Naru-chan, we're going to meet the rest of my team."

"Team? What's that?"

"It's kinda like of a group friends working together."

"Ne, ne, Kashi-nii can I be your friend then?" Naruto said with so much determination it made Kakashi laugh.

He pretended to think about it for a while, "Nah I don't we can friends." Naruto's face fell.

"Oh."

"That's cause we're already family. It means that you're more important than a friend."

Naruto beamed and nearly tackled Kakashi to the ground.

"Kashi-nii, if I love you. Will you love me too?" The question was so innocent, yet it had so much meaning to it. Kakashi thought of Sensei, Kushina-san, Rin, his father, all of them he cared for but he had lost them all and never got the chance to tell them how he felt. He didn't, couldn't let the same thing happen to Naruto. Naruto was his precious person and by Kami, would he protect him with his life.

"I already do Naru-chan." This time, Naruto really did tackle Kakashi to the ground. It was a struggle to get the golden ball of fluff off him but in that moment, nothing felt better. Eventually they did get up and made their way to the meeting spot. All nervousness forgotten, if Naruto had this much of an effect on Kakashi of all people, Team Rou would surely welcome him.


	5. The Tale of the the Frog, the Rabbit and the Crow

Team Rou was a peculiar group of people. On the one side they were the infamous elite ANBU team, dubbed as the best assassination squad Konoha has ever seen. On the other, more darker side, Team Rou was a group of people each dealing with their own problems. For this reason, they were treated as social rejects. They didn't have a place in the village and instead lurked in the shadows. This made them perfect for the ANBU. Their hearts had already been tainted with a darkness too evil to even be considered normal that the only time they found solace was when they took on missions. Each more difficult than last but that made it even more thrilling. Nihilism, it seemed, was a non-negotiable part of being on Team Rou. That and unconditional loyalty and trust for your teammates. If you didn't possess both qualities, death was what awaited you on the shadowy battlefield.

Genma Shiranui, known as Frog, was what could be called a typical lady's man. His days that weren't spent on missions or in the hospital was instead spent with women, though never the same woman twice. His past was almost predictable; he was raised by his father, who never surpassed the rank of a chunin, his mother walked out of his life and married a ninja from Iwa and sparked the beginning of relationship insecurities.

His life as a Genin was fairly normal, although he did have Maito Gai and Ebisu for teammates. Part of his weirdness had to be blamed on them. It was when he became a Chunin, that his problems began. What was meant to be Rank B escort mission turned out to be a never-ending nightmare. His team was ambushed a group of rouge Iwa nin (damn Iwa, always causing problems for the people of the Leaf. First the war, then his mother and now this? Kami, did he hate Iwa) and their client was killed, or to be exact, slashed in half, right in front of him.

They didn't stop there. One by one his team became less until, eventually, he was the only surviving member. He was paralysed, one of the ambushers turned out to be a former medical nin and threw a poisoned senbon at him. His teammates at the time were brutally murdered, one had his head crushed by a boulder, his body laying limp on the bloodied ground. The other was put under a genjutsu and tortured until the stress became too much and blood ran down from his eyes and ears. Genma was forced to watch it, unable to anything until another squad came to their rescue.

He didn't know what was going on, until a familiar masked boy came up to him and asked if he could still move. He stared at the boy long and hard, he had an expression on his face one of regret and boredom? Said boy clicked his tongue and turned away but not before saying words that Genma would never forget, "Just because you lost doesn't mean you failed. If you have enough energy to stare at me like that, you have enough energy to fight." That's when he recognised his voice, Kakashi Hatake, number one killjoy ninja. He disregarded those who was weak so why did he tell him that? _Probably because of the battle at Kannabi Bridge_ , he reasoned.

In that moment, Genma knew if anyone hated the Iwa nin, it would be Kakashi. He had watched his teammates be kidnapped and one nearly crushed to death, that's how he got the Sharingan eye, or so he heard anyway. He never quite liked his former classmate, always thought of him as arrogant but Kakashi in a way seemed so much different from how he was. _Maybe, just maybe,_ he thought before falling unconscious, _I'll survive this._

Somehow, when Genma woke up he was back in Konoha. More specifically, he was in hospital. It didn't matter to him how he got there he just knew he needed to get out. He refused to be confined by the four walls of his hospital room. He took what Kakashi said to heart and continued to fight. He trained to become better in kenjutsu and started using senbons, the memory of his lost client and the medical nin that had poisoned him motivating him, he reached the rank of Jonin, then Special Jonin but that didn't stop the nightmares or the rumours. He heard the whispers when he walked through town, how he failed his mission and was the sole survivor and it led to him being alienated. He still had the women, but it wasn't enough.

His mind kept wondering back to that day, what if he hadn't taken the request, what if he had taken another route, what if he and his team had been more prepared, would any of it have made a difference? His thoughts weighed him down, he couldn't take it. He couldn't take the regret nor the isolation. How much longer did he have to wait, how much more did he have to train to get those thoughts and their faces out of his head?

It wasn't fair. He never wanted this he wanted to lead a simple life, granted a ninja's life was never simple but this was too much. Genma continued to train he needed to become to become stronger he had a reason why he became a ninja, he just needed to find it. Maybe then he would be able to move on. He was at a bar where he overheard what he thought of as the perfect way to distract himself. A ninja who he had never seen spoke to another he recognised as Ibiki Morino.

"I just don't understand why anyone would join ANBU, being put there is like signing your own death warrant. I heard that after being there too long you either get killed or lose your mind," the man told Ibiki.

"Maybe that's why people join. It's true that most people lose their mind in ANBU and that's why they get killed but it's also a haven for people who don't have a place here in the village as normal ninja," Ibiki said.

"Huh? Don't tell me your thinking of joining, Ibiki."

"Well not now at least. I want to understand the human mind more before I even consider ANBU. That's why I'm working under Yamanaka-san now."

He didn't bother to stay after that. It had to be true, if someone like Kakashi Hatake who had seen so much was a captain of the assassination force of Konoha then surely, he could join too. That night he made his decision.

He applied for ANBU the next morning and was assigned to a squad with none other than Kakashi as his captain. He never stopped staring at the back of Kakashi after that, so he never stopped fighting. The nightmares never completely stopped but he now had something that could lesson his burden, Team Rou.

* * *

Hayate Gekko was many things; to his parents he was nothing but a burden, to his village he was Rabbit, a kenjutsu master, but to Team Rou and the love of his life, he was simply Hayate.

He had always been a sickly child and it wasn't easy to miss, not with his pale skin, dark bags under his eyes and his signature cough and raspy voice. For this reason, no one expected him to move pass the Chunin rank. His parents had thought it a miracle when he even graduated as a Genin and when he surpassed Chunin rank to Jonin they were over the moon. Not that they were proud, no, they were happy because he no longer had to trouble them. Even as Chunin, he still lived with them but now that he was a Jonin, he could just move into the Jonin/ANBU hostels.

They never pitied him, they always pitied themselves. They always wanted a child and when they finally had one, he resembled an underweight sickly panda. Numerous bills had to be paid for his health since he spent so much time in the hospital. Then, when he started to become better, his parents had to cough up even more money to pay for ninja equipment even though they were certain he couldn't do much for the village. Sure, he was good with the katana, but he was no Kakashi Hatake. It was bought for him and Hayate, though he felt no animosity towards anyone, he swore to prove all those who doubted him wrong.

He trained harder each day, soon mastering the art the of kenjutsu at a young age and being awarded with the title of Special Jonin. His health took a toll and though he achieved so much it would amount to nothing because once again he was sent to the hospital. His stay there was much longer than before, he supposed it was due to the fact that his lungs seemed to burn with each step he took. His parents never visited him, but he was never alone in his hospital. Day after day a former teammate or classmate would visit him, they probably thought he was near his end and wanted to pay their dues. Hayate wished they never came. He hated being pitied since everyone seemed to do it since he was younger. The only company he ever enjoyed was that of Yugao Uzuki, his kouhai and girlfriend. She had always believed in him.

During his stay in hospital, the doctors informed him that he didn't have much longer to live but for some reason he saw it as a fitting end. The story of an underdog who was so close to reaching his goal but tripped and fell right in front of the finish line. It would be too cliche if he had a happy ending, life was never like the books. Hayate hated that he would die without any regrets. Was his life really just a pointless battle?

"You know for someone who was told he was going to die, you're handling this situation awfully well," someone's voice interrupted his rather depressing thoughts.

"Kakashi Hatake."

"Yo, Hayate," he greeted from the bed besides Hayate's, he lounging as he read one of Jiraiya-sama's porn books. When did he get here?

"I've been here for about two hours; you were thinking out loud by the way."

Hayate sat up straight to properly face him, "Why are you here?"

Kakashi shrugged, "Broke a few ribs from the mission I just got back from. Doctors wanted to put me in a different room, but I asked to be put here. Word on the street says you're going to die and those doctors just confirmed it."

"Oh. So, you're here for the same reasons just like the rest of them," for some reason Hayate was disappointed.

"The rest of them? Man, you must be popular. Whenever I'm injured, it's just Obito that visits and sometimes Genma. I usually kick Gai out though. Kurenai told me it's because I'm as asshole to most people that's why no one really visits. She's probably right."

"You're never this talkative… and if you aren't here to see me before I die, then why are you here?"

Kakashi put his book down, he was starting to like this conversation, it was strange, "Firstly, I've been like this since I started spending time with Obito and Gai and you can't talk much with that cough of yours. Secondly, I wanted to tell you to not listen to their bullshit. Just cause someone says you gonna die, are you going to accept it just like that?"

"What would you do then, if you were told you didn't have long left to live?"

"I'd be on fucking cloud nine. I've lost my will to live a long time ago that's why they put me in ANBU."

Hayate stared at him. He wasn't like this before though it made things somewhat interesting. He couldn't remember the last time he had a conversation with someone other than Yugao and not felt bored to death. How ironic.

"You want me to live but wish death for yourself?"

Kakashi snorted, "Nah, I'm not that far gone. It's just if someone handed death to me on a platter, I'd happily take it. I have something to live for and that's why I'm still alive. Barely but alive. You have a girlfriend, don't you?"

"Yugao? But what does she have to with me living or dying?"

"You're even more dense than Obito. If you have someone you care about, you'd want to protect them and you can only do that if you're alive."

He had to admit what Kakashi said was right. Yugao was everything to him, she was the only one who never gave up on him, at least she was the only one until now.

"I'll live longer if I don't give up," it came out as a statement rather a question.

"Who knows? It takes more than willpower to survive . You haven't died yet so just stop acting like it's your funeral." Kakashi picked his book up and got out of the hospital bed. He walked towards an open window in the room .

"You're too good a ninja to just die like they want, Hayate. I live because I've too many regrets and I don't know when it'll stop me. I'm looking for a proper reason for my existence. Yours isn't just to prove that you're skilled. Find it and survive. Damnit, it took me one sentence to knock some sense into Genma's head. It took an entire conversation for you. Well whatever, ja!" With that he jumped put to window.

Two weeks later, Hayate was able to leave the hospital. He didn't die like they expected him to. He ran into Genma as he was applying for ANBU and on a whim, Hayate did the same. He was accepted and put into Team Rou. He lived for Yugao and he lived to prove whoever doubted him wrong but there was another reason why he lived and until he figured out what it was, he swore he wouldn't die and knew he wouldn't get the chance to either, not when he had the man who convinced to search his purpose as his captain.

* * *

Raidou Namiashi was a simple man. Unlike the rest of his teammates, he had no tragic backstory. He didn't need to be saved from any life-threatening situations, he didn't have a chronic illness, he wasn't involved in some psycho's attempt to breed super children and he sure as hell had no business in dealing with a crazed clan. Raidou Namiashi was suffering from what many called 'boredom'. In all his ninja life he had not seen any worthwhile action since his Chunin exam. He was now Special Jonin for Kami's sake.

He did not participate in Fourth Shinobi War; his skills were honed too late to even be considered useful even if he had taken part. He had no say in the outcome of the Kyuubi's attack, although no one his age had, not even Copy Nin Kakashi or Shishui the Teleporter. That made no difference to him; he had still not helped his village in the slightest. Yes, he took on missions and yes, some of them had some importance, but when comparing guarding the Hokage on an excursion the leader himself knew was trapped and already had backup plan to fighting against enemy nin whose intention was to destroy the Hidden Leaf, the answer was quite clear: Raidou Namiashi was a man whose life was too simple to be considered as a ninja.

People often avoided him as they claimed he complained too much or the more frequent, his mental stability surely was at risk. They couldn't understand why anyone would speak of living and dying to the fullest so often. Yeah, he would tend to go in graphic details in what he described as the 'perfect death' while others would stare at him. He could also understand why some people deemed it unnecessary to intentionally take on tough missions that had a low chance of survival. But he was not, despite what anyone said, insane. In his opinion his existence was rather pointless.

Though right now he really questioned exactly how useless he was. He was standing in the middle of Uchiha district holding the crying infant son of Fugaku Uchiha, while the baby's older brother, Itachi, conversed with an elderly woman he was sure kept looking his way. Raidou was positive he was being watched by wary eyes wondering why _he_ was holding the precious bundle and why said bundle was _crying._ Just how did he end up in this situation?

He was on his way to Uchiha District (they supplied the best fruits anyone could ask for) when the young clan heir stopped him to ask for his assistance. It was weird because why would a boy, who was supposed to his kouhai but has long since surpassed what he couldn't even hope to achieve, asking him of all people for assistance? He accepted nonetheless and the extremely grateful Itachi Uchiha handed him his brother before running to the elderly woman to ask her something. As soon as he left, his brother immediately started to cry, leaving a flustered Raidou Namiashi in the middle of the street while being stared at by the numerous people who considered him unworthy of holding the infant.

Itachi came running back to him, taking Sasuke in his arms and the baby immediately stopped whining. Raidou was certain that not much would change when they got older.

"Gomen, Namiashi-san, for taking up your time. I needed to speak to my aunt for my mother and if I had taken Sasuke with me, she would have held me back longer than necessary," Itachi apologised.

 _Ahh, so it was Sasuke she was eyeing_. _That makes a lot more sense,_ he thought before turning his focus back to Itachi, "It's alright, Itachi-kun. I didn't have much to do anyway, besides you weren't that long."

"Hai, but Sasuke still caused you problems. He only seems to be calm when I hold him. My mother finds it quite strange, actually. Namiashi-san, if you don't mind me asking, why are you here?"

Raidou scratched his neck, not many people other than the Uchiha spent time in the district, "Ehh, the best fruit is found here and I didn't have anything else to do so…"

Itachi nodded, "Then Namiashi-san would you mind me treating you to some fruit as a thank you for assisting me?"

He knew he should say no but while the fruit was the best, it was also expensive. Forgetting everything about courtesy he agreed and Itachi, to his surprise, smiled.

They arrived at a quaint stall that sold fruit and after ordering the two ninjas, plus infant, sat down by a table. Itachi was the first to break the silence, "Arigato, Namiashi-san, for allowing me to treat you. Very few treat me as a normal person."

"Well that's supposed to expected, innit? You're the clan heir after all. Not to mention all your achievements. It would be strange if you were treated as the average person."

"Maybe so, Namiashi-san. It does get tiring being treated as some sort of God when all I have is skill, but I know better to complain."

"At least you're humble about it. Most geniuses act all great, trust me I know one myself," Raidou said, thinking of a certain silver-haired nin.

"You are referring to Kakashi-taicho" Itachi asked while feeding a small piece of apple to Sasuke.

"Yeah, you refer to him as Taicho?"

"Kakashi-senpai is my senior in the ANBU Corps, we are on the same squad, with him as my leader."

Raidou sighed. Of course Itachi would be in ANBU already; he couldn't help but feel a tinge of jealousy. "Must be fun to be in the corps already…"

"Fun? Most would not refer to being an assassin as fun. Our job requires us to hunt in the shadows. We kill who we are ordered to and leave no trace behind. We decide who lives and who dies and you think of that as exciting?" despite his words, Itachi wasn't angry. He was surprised since he had heard many things about being in the ANBU and fun was never part of it.

"If you say it like that, it does seem strange that I find it fun to be part of ANBU but you guys always put your life on the line for the village. Sure, you kill people who didn't deserve to die but regular shinobi do it all the time. I guess what I'm trying to say is your life as a ninja in the corps has more value than someone like me, who despite being a Special Jonin, hasn't done much for the Village," Raidou said as he finished his fruit serving. _When did I even start eating and it's finished already?_

"I often wonder about the meaning of life too if death is the ultimate outcome no matter how great you lived. You are interesting Namiashi-san. I will speak to Kakashi-senpai about referring you to the Hokage to be part of our squad," Itachi said standing up.

"Wait what?" Surely this kid wasn't actually going to get him into the ANBU Corps, right?

"Your rank as a Special Jonin as well as your view of being a shinobi will be to your favour. You seem to know Kakashi-senpai as well. Perhaps if you are memorable enough, Senpai will agree to speak to the Hokage. I wish you goodluck, Namiashi-san as our short time spent together has convinced me that you are loyal enough."

Itachi left with a giggling Sasuke and Raidou was rendered speechless. If being recommended to join the elite ninja of Konoha was so easy he would have spent less time complaining and more time talking. Sure enough, a mere five days later a ninja claiming to be a member of Itachi's ANBU squad spoke to him about joining ANBU. He identified himself as Deer. The man did seem indifferent but some part of Raidou knew that Deer was actually considering it. He had said that their squad, Team Rou, needed a new member as his former teammate had, in his terms, retired because of _unfortunate circumstances._ He was told that being part of Team Rou required two things and if he did not possess them both, he would end up the same. Raidou accepted immediately and although Deer clicked his tongue, he shook his hand, "Itachi-kun claims that you are trustworthy. Know that Team Rou is an elite team of the ANBU, but we are not ordinary."

Raidou smirked. This was perfect, he finally had a chance to prove his worth as a ninja. No one would avoid him in fear of listening to him complain or question his mental state when all he could talk about was living and dying to the fullest, "When do I start?'


	6. The Pack's Reaction

"Yo, Itachi, when's Taicho gonna show?" a man asked the young Uchiha. He wore his hitai-ate as a bandana and chewed on a senbon, this man was known as Genma. He sat on a tree stump in the middle of the Third Training Ground while he watched his teammate spar.

"Like I said five minutes ago and the past thirteen time before that, Genma-san, Taicho said he'll be here at three. It's five minutes to three now. You should know that Taicho always arrives promptly on time," Itachi answered. He was wearing his usual bored look as he practiced his kenjutsu with Hayate.

Hayate coughed as he turned away from Itachi, pausing their mini spar, "Don't you want to join us as well, Genma?"

"Nah. Besides I left my katana at home." Hayate nodded and resumed his sparring with Itachi.

Genma then turned his attention to Raidou, who was laying on the ground pretending to be asleep with his arms behind his head and legs perpendicular to his body. "Raidou! I know you're not really asleep."

"Obviously not. Who'll be able to sleep with your yapping? Be more like Tenzou over there? He's not bothering anyone."

"Shut up, Crow! You're the one who's always going on about how bored you are."

"Back to codenames, are we? You're right but right now I'm content with my life…" Raidou lazily drawled as he closed his eyes. The only one left now was Tenzou. He looked like he wouldn't ignore Genma, he was surely just as agitated as he was. Tenzou stood crossed arms next to the tree stump with his back towards Genma.

Just as he was about to open his mouth, Tenzou snapped, "Genma I swear if you even attempt to complain about when Kakashi-senpai will show up, I'll use Mokuton to put seal you in ball and listen to your cries of agony as you slowly suffocate and die."

Genma immediately shut his mouth and continued to watch Itachi and Hayate. Damn, Tenzou could be scary at times. Though he wasn't nearly as bad as Taicho when he gets angry, he shivered as he remembered the time he thought it would be funny to hide Kakashi's Icha-Icha novels. He never wanted to be on the receiving end of that again. Thinking of Taicho, where the hell was he?!

Kakashi sneezed as he and Naruto made their way near the entrance of the training ground.

"Kashi-nii, are you okay?" Naruto asked him as the man in question seemed bewildered as to why he sneezed. He rarely got sick and his nose being covered by his mask made sure that hay fever didn't affect him.

"I don't know, Naru-chan. Someone must be thinking of me." Naruto nodded solemnly. As they continued their way to the training ground Kakashi noticed that Naruto became more and more quiet. _Probably cause he's nervous,_ Kakashi thought. He wanted to tell him not to be nervous, that they'll accept him immediately just as he and Obito had but in all honesty, Kakashi had his doubts.

Itachi had accepted his decision but that he wasn't the whole of Team Rou. Kakashi knew his squad would come around eventually but he hoped they wouldn't scare Naruto off. If they did he would have to force it upon on them, but he didn't want that. Not only would that lead to disaster, it would also make them doubt his competency as their leader. Trust was a big factor of Team Rou so he hoped they would understand why he was doing this. Finally, he saw his teammates who him beckoned him over. Naruto hid behind his legs just like he had in the Village's streets. _Well it's now or never._

"Finally, Taicho! You have no what hell it was waiting for you to show-hey what's that behind you," Genma asked him as he jumped passed Tenzou. That was enough to for Itachi and Hayate to stop their sparring and for Raidou to get up. They all stared at him. _Man, I've been getting a lot of that these days._

"Rou," he said picking Naruto up from behind and holding the child in front of him, "Meet Pup, though his real name is Naruto." Naruto offered them a nervous smile, Kakashi laughed quietly and as for the rest, they made no movement until…

"Senpai, are you out of your mind?!" Tenzou shouted, startling Naruto.

"Look, I know it seems like a bad idea bu-" Kakashi started but was interrupted by Genma, "Taicho, why do you even have the Kyuubi' s container?"

"I told you his name is Naruto and-" he was interrupted yet again but this time by Tenzou. He looked like he was about to his explode, "It doesn't matter what his name is. Why the hell do you have him?"

"Well if you let me finish talking I'll get to that part," Kakashi muttered and put Naruto down. "I recently adopted Naruto and I'd like to make him part of our squad. Unofficially speaking, since he's just a toddler, but a member nonetheless."

"Absolutely not. Taicho, I've been told by many people that I'm insane but this… this is just fucking crazy," Raidou said.

Hayate coughed in agreement. Genma spoke again, "Taicho, I don't get what you're doing but there's no way I'm agreeing to whatever it is you're planning."

Kakashi turned to Itachi who nodded. He walked to Kakashi and picked Naruto up, much to the child's surprise. He let out a yelp but relaxed when he sensed Itachi meant no harm. Kakashi couldn't help but feel a tinge of jealousy at the sight; it had taken him a while to gain Naruto's trust and here his kouhai achieved it in an instant. Itachi face his teammates; they all looked shocked.

"He's not that bad, do you want to hold him?" Itachi asked.

"Itachi-kun I don't think anyone wants to do that now," Hayate said before coughing.

"Why not? Surely you aren't backwards enough to think that Naruto is the Kyuubi himself. His chakra levels may be superior to all of us combined but he's emitting less than the average child. He is not dangerous, so why is there a problem?"

"There's a problem because Senpai did this without consulting us."

"Tenzou, I am your captain, I don't need to consult with you for every little thing. Taking Naruto in is my personal obligation."

"Taicho if it's your personal obligation then why tell us now and why make him a part of Team Rou?" Raidou asked. Personally, he didn't have a problem with Naruto but he didn't like the idea of Naruto join the team. It just ruined the dynamics.

"It's because you feel you need to do this since he's your sensei's son, isn't it Taicho?" Genma answered. Everyone looked at him, including Naruto.

"You know my daddy, Kashi-nii?" _Great, now I have to explain to Naruto about his parents, which he shouldn't know about, freaking Genma._

"Naru-chan, now is not the time for that, I'll answer your questions later," Kakashi said to Naruto before speaking to the rest of his team, "Genma's right. I am doing this because of his father but that's not the only reason. I found my reason for being in ANBU because of him. I know that you probably hate this idea but he's not a bad kid so I hope you'll understand. He's important to me."

That hit a nerve for Team Rou. They each had a reason for being in ANBU, Kakashi being the one to bring them all together. Yet, he was the one still searching for his reason. They knew his past, some of them having witnessed how he grew up and changed after tragedy had struck him. He was the most broken of their team and they noticed how during certain missions he would purposefully mess up. It was never big enough to report but it was always small enough to harm towards himself. It was difficult to watch, especially since no matter how hard they tried they would never be able to reach him. Kakashi lost his will to live; he admitted it himself but if this child was able to change him, maybe this move was worth the risk.

Tenzou snorted, "That's rich coming from you Senpai, you've always hated kids." Kakashi paled at his comment. Earlier he told Naruto he was precious, if he was going to doubt him now, he wouldn't be able to raise Naruto properly before the Sandaime checked on him.

Naruto jumped out of Itachi's arms and made his way to kick him hard in the shin, "Kashi-nii, doesn't hate me, Baka!" Tenzou yelped in surprise, how could a toddler he was sure didn't have any latent ability, apart from the Kyuubi inside of him, kick him so hard?

"I love Kashi-nii," He said it quietly but it had the same affect on the team as it had on Kakashi. Raidou couldn't keep it in, he had to laugh. His previous thoughts of Naruto ruining their dynamic gone; if a kid like him managed to kick the ninja that prided himself on his ability to withstand even the greatest force since he, in Tenzou's own opinion, 'could use wood style therefore it made him just as strong as nature itself' then Team Rou just got a hell of a lot more interesting.

"Taicho, I take it back. Can we keep him?" Raidou said just as the rest started to laugh too, leaving Tenzou a stuttering mess.

"Why you little-" Tenzou made to kick Naruto but Itachi stopped him.

"Tenzou, if you do that you're going to make Taicho mad." He put his leg down and glanced at Kakashi. He looked just as he always did but he knew his senpai better. He could see it in his eye, just slightly, that if he had hurt Naruto there would have been hell to pay.

"I agree on keeping Naruto. Look what he did to Tenzou, imagine what he could do with a little bit of help from us, to the rest of the village," Genma said after a while.

"Besides, the gaki's important to Taicho and he's the reason we're here anyway."

"Naruto-kun does seem to fit in with us too," Hayate said.

"Arigato, everyone," Kakashi said, he was glad that they all seemed to be less opposed to his idea, Tenzou will come around.

"Don't thank us yet, Taicho. Naruto still doesn't know us yet. Right Naruto-kun?" Itachi bent down to pick Naruto up as he came back to him. "Naruto-kun, I'm Itachi Uchiha or Weasel."

The rest all followed suit, walking up to Naruto back in Itachi's arms, introducing their names and codenames to their squad's new unofficial member.

"Genma Shiranui but I like to go as Frog sometimes."

"Hayate Gekko also called Rabbit on missions."

"Name's Raidou Namiashi, though I preferably like to be called Crow out on the field."

Kakashi was glad that his team warmed up to Naruto and when Tenzou walked up to said child he knew that no one, not even the Sandaime was going to take Naruto away from him. He was part of Team Rou, Kakashi's makeshift family and no one was going to change that.

"Don't take this the wrong way, kid. I don't like you but I'll go along with this. I'm Tenzou also known as Deer."

Naruto nodded at Tenzou, agreeing with what he said. He didn't like him either but this man was Kashi-nii's friend so he'll put up with it. For now anyway.

"Alright Taicho. Now that formalities out of the way, what we gonna do now," Raidou said turning, towards him.

"Now, Raidou, I need you guys to help me come up with plan to keep Naruto."


	7. Plan and Decison

It had taken awhile but Team Rou finally came up with a plan to help convince the Hokage to let Kakashi keep guardianship of Naruto. They would train him (not to the point where he'll be able to become ninja, he was only three after all) both physically and mentally to prove that Kakashi had what it takes to raise a child.

A month had now passed since Kakashi had gained temporary custody of Naruto. That meant that the Hokage was going to check on him and decide whether he was a suitable guardian to care for Naruto full time. Kakashi had no doubt that he was the perfect candidate in caring for Naruto, after all he had known both parents. He was the student of Minato and watched over Kushina as she went through nine months of pregnancy. He was destined to be part of Naruto's life and even if the Hokage did decide that he wasn't, he would just find a way to be with him. Though he would prefer it if he didn't have to break any laws to be with Naruto.

Obito, Pakkun and the rest of his ninken had been a great help. They watched over Naruto when he had errands to do, played with him and fed him when Kakashi was too tired and best of all, Obito had successfully potty-trained Naruto. He didn't want to imagine how that went but was glad he wasn't the one to sit through it all. No pun intended. Team Rou didn't fail him either. Not that he doubted them in the slightest. They were the elites of the elite and if they couldn't handle Naruto then that would question their ability.

Now Naruto was no ordinary child, Kyuubi's container aside. He seemed to possess so much more energy than the average child that it made Kakashi question how he was emitting chakra levels that low. Raidou brought up the prospect of Naruto having ADHD and it made sense. No one could be that hyperactive without a good enough reason. Since moving in to the Hatake manor, Naruto would run around in the garden or bounce up and down the house since there was so much space. It always tired whoever was watching over him but it also gave the assurance that he would be a great ninja. After all if someone could tire out ninja of Special Jonin rank without using any Ninja Art, then that was a feat to be proud of.

Team Rou used his hyperactivity and love of games to their advantage when it came to training. Itachi had devised a training method that seemed like a game of hide-and-seek but was actually stealth training. Genma and Hayate used reed rods from the manor's garden to chase Naruto around to help him dodge attacks easier. Raidou would have races with Naruto to increase his speed and Tenzou would have treasure hunts with Naruto to help his tracking ability. Though the training had only lasted for about four weeks it had the desired affects on him. Though it didn't make him capable of being a ninja of Genin rank, Naruto was only three and yet to learn anything about chakra, he was now able to surpass the average toddler in physical ability. It made Team Rou pity his future Academy teachers because if he wasn't a handful before they could only imagine how difficult he would be when he starts school.

Obito and Kakashi took turns in teaching how to read. Kakashi dubbed Obito as useless as his idea of reading was picture books. This of course led to an argument between the two:

"Baka! I told you we're teaching him how to read. How does picture books help with that?!"

"It's better than you trying to teach him from history books, Teme!"

"It's helping him develop a better reading ability!"

"How can it better his ability when he doesn't have one in the first place?!"

"You're just saying that cause you couldn't read until the Academy!"

"That's where most kids learn how to read unlike freaks like you!"

"What did you call, you piece of trash?!"

"You heard me, shithead!"

"Oi! No swearing while Naruto's around you fuck!"

In the end (after Naruto learned two new cuss words) they agreed to teach separately. Kakashi had the upper hand as he lived with Naruto and Obito, not wanting to fall behind, visited often to make sure Naruto had enough picture books to learn from. He had successfully learnt to read, not to Kakashi's standards, but made good enough progress for a child his age, which had to admired since most children wouldn't be able to read yet.

Back to the present, Kakashi sat anxiously in his living room with a rather excited Naruto sitting in his lap. He was glad the place was finally refurnished even if it did cost him a considerable amount of ryo. He had no idea what happened to the original furniture of the house as he never bothered to find out. What was important now was that the Hokage would look at this now much livelier manor of his and see it as a suitable environment to raise Naruto That was what he hoped at least.

Noticing that Kakashi was deep in thought and to distracted to pay attention to him, Naruto smacked him with as much power he could muster.

"Oww! Naru-chan, what was that for?" Kakashi asked. Though it didn't hurt him he still rubbed his cheek.

"Kashi-nii you're not playing with me!" Naruto complained.

"That's cause I'm nervous right now Naru-chan," he knew Naruto wouldn't be able to understand the situation between him and the Hokage so he never bothered to Naruto about the visit.

"Why Kashi-nii? You made me wear itchy clothes and said I can't play outside"

"That's because a guest is coming over and I can't have you running around in dirty rags."

Naruto bent his head to the side, "What's a guest?"

"A visitor and he's really important so try not to pull any tricks on me today, Naru-chan."

Naruto puffed his cheeks. _Stupid Kashi-nii, I wanna play outside not with this 'guest'._ He didn't say it out loud because he knew it would make Kakashi mad. The lost time Kakashi was angry at Naruto he didn't get to eat ramen and it was his favourite food ever. _Stupid Kashi-nii, baka Kashi-nii._

There was a knock on the door. Kakashi got up to answer it, holding Naruto in his arms as he did so. He gave him a pointed look and the child responded by sticking his tongue out. Kakashi sighed, hoping that the Hokage wouldn't stay long or else Naruto was going to have fit since he was being deprived of his favourite pastime: tiring everyone out around him by making a fool of them.

He answered the door and there he stood, the man who had the last say regarding Naruto's custody _legally speaking._ "Evening Hokage-sama."

The Hokage nodded, catching Naruto who jumped from Kakashi's arms into his in the process. "Ji-chan!" Naruto shouted.

"Ahh Naru-chan! I'm glad to see you too," He ruffled Naruto's hair and placed him on the ground.

"Kakashi's been treating you well?" Naruto nodded vigorously.

"Hai-hai! Kashi-nii's the bestest. And Obi-nii, Tachi-nii, Genma-nii, Raidou-nii, Hayate-nii, even Tenzou-nii," he then lowered his voice and looked around as if Tenzou would pop out at any time, "But Tenzou-nii's weird, Ji-chan."

Hiruzen looked at Kakashi, "You took him to meet Team Rou already Kakashi?"

"Naruto will be just as part of their life as he will mine. He's called Pup now and is an unofficial member of our team. Hokage-sama," Kakashi said. He figured Naruto would mention the rest of his team so lying wouldn't help much.

"I see," was the simple reply.

Naruto didn't like not being a part the conversation. Ever since he moved in with Kakashi he had been the centre of attention and he was not going to let that change now.

"Ne, Ji-chan let's walk!" he said and grabbed Hiruzen's hand.

"That's the garden, Ji-chan!" Naruto excitedly told Hiruzen as he dragged the Hokage by his hand through his favourite playing spot. As Naruto dragged Hiruzen through their home, he told the man all about how Kakashi was as his new nii-cha' and how much fun he was having staying with him. The Hokage did raise an eyebrow when Naruto told him about the 'games' he was playing with Team Rou but didn't say anything and instead patiently listened to everything being told, sometimes shouted, to him.

Kakashi won yet another battle. _Well I'm not an ANBU captain for nothing, after all,_ he mused as he trailed behind them wearing a smile under his mask. Realising what time it was by the sun being at its peak, Kakashi asked if the Hokage would like to go inside for lunch. He didn't actually make lunch (Raidou, a surprisingly good cook, offered to make lunch since he knew how lousy his captain could be at cooking. He dropped it off the night before so all Kakashi had to do was heat it up).

"Arigatou, Kakashi, but I should get back to the Tower now. I have a meeting before one. Let us go inside and discuss things further."

Kakashi nodded and the both of them went inside while Naruto walked behind them. He didn't want his Ji-chan to leave so soon already.

"I take it you are happy with the way I raised Naruto, Hokage-sama?" Kakashi asked Hiruzen as they made their way to the manor's exit.

"You are confident in yourself Kakashi," Hiruzen said.

"As a ninja should be, Hokage-sama."

Hiruzen sighed, "I don't like that you are training him already, Kakashi. He is only three."

"I'm not training him and I don't plan on doing so anytime soon, Hokage-sama. Obito suggested the idea and I agreed though only with enhancing his abilities from a young age. Naruto knows nothing about chakra and won't until I believe he is ready."

"You speak as though I have granted you full custody of him."

"If you haven't decided that then you wouldn't still be here. I moved from the hostels to this manor, Hokage-sama. I introduced him to my team and they recognise him as a member of our squad. Even my ninken are fond of him. Hokage-sama, Naruto is my responsibility now and I'm not giving him up," Kakashi said as he looked fearlessly at the Hokage.

Naruto watched their exchange intently, though he didn't understand what was being said. He wondered why they were acting so weirdly around each other and why they were talking about him like he wasn't even there!

"Very well. You may continue to look after Naruto as his legal guardian from now on," Hiruzen smiled briefly at the child in question before turning his attention back to Kakashi with a harsh look, "Do be aware that it will not be smooth sailing after this, Kakashi. If anything should happen to Naruto under your watch, you will have me to answer to."

Kakashi involuntarily gulped and Hiruzen smirked slightly. The young ninja could sometimes be too cocky for his own good. He bid farewell to both Naruto and Kakashi and left.

Naruto, still confused by what happened, walked over to Kakashi and tugged at the sleeve of his blue uniform he wore under the usual Chunin flak jacket. His nii-chan looked down at him.

"Kashi-nii. What's chatra?"


	8. Teleporter

The news that Kakashi now had full legal custody of Naruto didn't come as shock to anyone. Everyone involved had expected it and even if he hadn't gained that right, they sure as hell would have done something about it. It was the morning after the Hokage made his decision and Kakashi had hoped he would have a quiet, peaceful morning. He woke Naruto up, placed him in the kitchen, made breakfast ramen (recently, Naruto was refusing to eat anything but ramen) and made himself coffee.

He went outside to his garden to enjoy its tranquillity without the blond chibi bouncing about but soon found his plan foiled. He quickly turned around to go back to the garden, hands twitching to take out one of the many kunai he kept on his person.

"Oi, Genma, Raidou! What are you doing in my house?" he asked them and stood with crossed arms as he walked in. He sensed two chakra signatures in the kitchen where he had left Naruto and for a split second panicked as he got ready to slit whosever throat it was that dared entered his home with the intention of harming Naruto, until he realised who they were. The killer intent that Kakashi let out immediately subsided and in its place, annoyance made itself present .

"We heard the news from Obito, Taicho. So we came to visit Pup," Raidou answered nonchalantly before resuming the game with Naruto.

"Did it occur to you to inform me about your visit?" It was annoying him that they just brushed off the fact that they were disturbing their captain's would be peaceful morning and suddenly his urge to use his kunai, still held firmly in one of his hands, strengthened.

"Well Taicho it was a spur-of-the-moment type of thing," this time it was Genma.

A red tick mark appeared on Kakashi's forehead. His kouhai were beginning to act like Obito and he did not like it. Not. One. Bit. He weighed his options: he could a) kick his forward little underlings out and show them what happens when they annoy the authority or b) he could ignore their intruding for Naruto's sake and let them go on with whatever they were doing. Punishment would come later. It took him a second to decide that actually, there was another option. They had interrupted his morning with a happy Naruto as he ate his ramen in peace and Kakashi drinking his coffee in his garden taking a well-deserved break after Naruto bugged him the whole night about what 'chatra' was.

"Naru-chan have you finished eating your ramen yet?" he sweetly asked the child. Genma and Raidou stopped playing their game, noticing the change of tone in his voice.

"Hai Kashi-nii!" Naruto, once again oblivious to his surroundings, answered.

"Good. Then why don't you run outside. I'll play with you after I speak with Genma and Raidou."

Naruto nodded and ran outside excited that he didn't have to beg Kakashi to play outside with him. Kakashi would usually play with him inside since he was almost certain that Naruto somehow got more energetic in the sun, increasing his ability to tire anyone out tenfold.

"I'll give you a five second head start to run," Kakashi told Genma and Raidou who gulped. They immediately accepted his offer and shunshined out of his home. He scoffed. How naïve of them to believe a simple shunshin would throw him off track. They disturbed his morning and would pay.

* * *

The rest of the morning was uneventful for both Kakashi and Naruto. This led to two reactions; Kakashi was glad that he would finally get a moment of peace after his disturbed morning and playing with the hyperactive Naruto and chose to lounge on his couch and sleep, while Naruto was bored out of his mind and close to tears. Kakashi chose to ignore him knowing full well that it was just another ploy to get him to bend to the child's will. Said child was annoyed by Kakashi not playing into his hands and began to formulate a new plan.

If Kakashi refused to pay attention to him, then he would just do something that his onii-chan wouldn't possibly be able to ignore, he would whine. While it seemed like a plan that was bound to fail Naruto knew that it was the opposite. Something that he had often overheard while playing with what he thought of as his friends was that he could be quite annoying. He didn't understand what this meant, annoying not being a part of his three-year-old vocabulary, but he did know that he could use it to his advantage. With a slight cough to prepare his small lungs for the what he was about to put them under he opened his mouth as wide as possible and let out the loudest shriek he could manage.

The ear piercing sound immediately woke Kakashi up rather ungracefully (he fell of his couch) and the ninja got up to glare at Naruto. _This fucking brat._ He stood up from the ground and placed his hand over Naruto's mouth to shut him up, stopping his shrieking. Naruto stared at him as if daring him to make a move and Kakashi, after having just about enough of this shitty morning, picked him up and shunshined the both of them to Konoha's forest.

* * *

Itachi, on the other hand, was having what he considered to be a great day. Despite his young age, the Uchiha had few of these. He had his clan constantly breathing down neck, the ANBU that wasn't part of his squad watching him and a little brother, who he loved to pieces, that would constantly bother him. That was why he absolutely loved mornings like this, just him and his best friend-slash-mentor-slash-older-brother-figure, Shisui.

Shisui was already a Jonin and although Itachi wasn't that far behind in terms of skill or age, he greatly admired him. The two sat perched on a giant rock, eating dango in Konoha Forest while Shisui was telling Itachi about his latest mission.

"It was over too soon though; I wish it took longer 'cause that way I could've spent more time in the Land of Waves. It's great there really, peaceful unlike here. I'll take you there next time."

Itachi took a bite out of his dango, "That will be great, Shisui… say do you think that there will ever be peace in our clan?"

Shisui sighed, "Our clan's always been at odds, against the rest of the village and ourselves. We'll probably reach a point where there'll only be two option left; total destruction or submission."

"Is that really our only two options, Shisui?"

"It's useless sugar coating anything, Itachi. If worse comes to worst, then you'll be the deciding factor. I just hope it never reaches that point, at least not in our lifetime." He took a bite out of his own dango before handing the remainder to Itachi, "Aargh! This stuff is so sweet, how do you manage to eat this?"

Itachi took the dango with wide eyes, "It's a gift sent from the Heavens! Why me though, why am I the deciding factor when it comes to the clan?'

"You are the genius heir to the clan, of course you going to be involved. Especially with those elders and your dad," Shisui stood up and ruffled Itachi's hair affectionately. "We should get up. Expect some company soon."

Before Itachi could question what he meant, Kakashi appeared in front of two looking exhausted and holding a tear stained Naruto. The child in question hopped out of his guardian's arms and looked around the forest with wonder, not noticing the gaping Itachi or the surprised Shisui.

"Itachi as your captain, I have a small request that you are unable to refuse."

"Kakashi-san, why do you have a child?" Shisui asked. He certainly could sense Kakashi's chakra but what he didn't expect was to see Naruto.

"Huh? Oh Shisui-kun, didn't see you over there. This-" he gestured to Naruto who was chasing a butterfly- "Is Naruto, I adopted him. I am sane, well not really but enough to make a decision like this, if that's what you're wondering."

"I see…" Shisui looked at Itachi who coughed.

"Taicho, I hope this isn't what I think it is. Today's my day off."

"That's funny 'cause today's my day off too but it's already been disturbed by Genma and Raidou and Naruto's been whining the entire morning about being bored. I don't have enough energy to deal with him so you, my young underling, now have the task of entertaing him."

"Wait Taicho-"

Kakashi called Naruto over, "Naru-chan meet Shisui, I like him enough so you can trust him, okay? You'll spend the rest of the day with them so be good. I'll pick you up later." Without waiting for Naruto or either Uchiha to reply, he shunshined out of the forest leaving two awkward teens and an unsurprisingly cheerful Naruto.

"Can we play a game?"


	9. Sasuke

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a small update but don't worry following chapters will be longer in length it's just that i honestly had no idea how to end this chapter without going into too much detail or completely ruining it. On a side note, comment if you wnat more itachi/shisui content. They both have an important role to play but i'm thinking of speeding things up meaning more angst. Also do you think the character development is too slow?

Somewhere deep inside the forest, far from where Naruto and the two Uchihas stood, lurked two shadows.

"Seems like things have taken an interesting turn ever since your departure, Master," a squeaky, masculine voice said. His master laughed.

"Who would've thought that after all this time Kakashi would finally grow some compassion, too bad that it won't last long."

"But Master our plan won't be put into motion until he is ready."

"It's a figure of speech, you take everything too literal. Ahh the joy I'll feel! It's going to fun, the look of confusion on his face when he finally realises the mistake he made all those years ago. Makes me a little sad that I'll have to wait so long… nevermind that, the reward is in the wait after all."

"Master, won't you feel even a bit of regret though? That copy nin-"

"Is the reason I am where I am now! He's the one who caused my pain, I can't even look into a mirror without being reminded of the monster I am. It's his fault, all his fault and that horrid man who taught him. Death was too simple a punishment."

"Master…"

"Enough talking. Our purpose was only to investigate a rumour and now that it has been confirmed, we'll best be on our way lest you want to be left alone here?" His master looked at him with a single brow raised and a glare that sent shivers down his despite the heat of the forest.

"H-Hai. Tobi is sorry."

"As you should be."

With that, the two figures left the forest.

* * *

"Say, Itachi, what are we going to do about Naruto?" a tired Shisui asked. It had been less than fifteen minutes and he was far more exhausted than he had been on his mission and that had lasted a week!

Itachi sighed. Sasuke had always been energetic when he somehow managed to find time to play together but this was on a different level, Naruto was behaving worse than when Team Rou were training him. Damn it, Taicho.

"We can take him to my place. Tou-san is out on a mission with most of the higher-ups in the police force so there shouldn't be too much disturbance. Kaa-san would enjoy spending time with him and Sasuke needs friends of his own."

Shisui nodded. "Though I doubt that it would be a good idea to involve Mikoto-san or Sasuke for that matter. Won't things just be more chaotic?"

That is true, Itachi thought. But what other choice did he have? He had a feeling that this would be the right choice. Sasuske needed companionship and Naruto… well he needed to be around people his own age, preferably children who didn't have blood on their hands before they turned ten. He shook his head; this was not the time to remember Tenma. That memory, though it was the reason he awakened his sharingan, he didn't want to revert to his old self, the one before Shisui and Team Rou. It was just too painful.

"Kaa-san would be able to handle it. Besides, I know you wouldn't want to babysit Naruto after just coming back from a mission."

Shisui sheepishly laughed and scratched the back of his neck, "Yeah…"

It was at that moment that Naruto decided to run up to Shisui and present to him his latest findings.

"Shisui-san, this is for you," Naruto handed him a small flower, though it leaned awkwardly to the side and a few of its petals were gone, Shisui took it.

"Arigato Naru-chan," he replied, and he swore he never saw a smile as big or as radient as the small child in front of him. Helplessly, he looked at Itachi who had a small smile of his own.

"Naruto expresses his delight physically. He likes you, just don't tell Taicho he gave you a flower. Taicho was jealous when I picked Naruto up and he didn't protest."

"Ha," he bent down to ruffle Nauto's hair, "You're pretty cute kid. You'll be a good influence on Sasuske, he'll need it when things with the clan takes a turn."

"Clan?" Naruto asked him.

"Nothing for you to worry about. Let's get going. Itachi?"

He nodded, "Hai."


	10. Friend

"Now, now Sasuke-chan! Ita-chan will be disappointed with the way you're behaving now. And don't even get me started on what your Tou-san would say if he saw you behaving like you are now," a young mother chided. Her name was Mikoto Uchiha, wife of Head of Konoha Police Division and the Uchiha clan, Fugaku-sama, and proud mother of Itachi and Sasuke.

She was of short stature, had long, dark hair that partly covered the front of her face as a fringe. Her onyx eyes were tired as she had spent a good part of her morning consoling her youngest son who complained that it simply wasn't fair that, as he had put it, "Nii-san spends all his time with Shisui-san! I hate him, I hate him, I hate him!". This led to her reprimanding Sasuke on how he shouldn't say things that he very clearly didn't mean, and in retaliation, he decided to throw a tantrum, saying things like she didn't understand.

Mikoto sighed. This was not how she planned on spending her first day in a long time free of her husband. Now Mikoto adored him, loved him dearly and vowed to spend her life supporting his dreams but sometimes, like his son, he was too much too handle. Itachi was mature and well-behaved so she rarely got any trouble from him, unless of course it involved dango, then her prodigal son would lose composure and demand that he "needs" were met. With another sigh and a desperate moan, she wished that she was once again her more youthful self. A time when she had no husband to take care of and no ridiculous demands of her extra special children to meet.

"Kaa-san! Don't tell Nii-san, he'll think I'm a baby an-and Tou-san…" Sasuke begged his mother. He'll clean up, rather that than face his Nii-san after he threw a tantrum. Mikoto held back her laugh, despite her weariness, her Sasuke-chan was just too cute!

"And why would I think you are a baby, Sasuke?" The child froze on the spot where he stood in his living room. Mikoto, just as surprised, spun around from facing Sasuke and the sight she saw nearly brought her to tears.

There in front of her stood Itachi and behind him Shisui who had on his back a child with golden hair. The last time she had saw him, he was just an infant, merely a few days old and now he was Sasuke's age though he looked smaller. Most surprisingly, he looked healthy. She heard stories of how the child got into trouble with the rest of village, often resulting in damage on his part but now he looked happy and well and so much like his deceased father.

"Naruto?"

The child looked confused for a moment and then jumped off Shisui's back to walk towards her.

"Yo!"

* * *

"I see, so that's how it is, I wondered how he looked so healthy. But Ita-chan, why doesn't Tou-san know yet?"

"Hokage-sama chose not to reveal it until Tou-san comes back from his mission. Kakashi-taicho just recently gained custody, so Hokage-sama thought it would be unwise to tell any clan heads of his decision, especially ours. The Uchiha would have been up in arms about Naruto being adopted and not being consulted first because of the Kyuubi and Tou-san had a mission coming up soon so there would've have been no one to handle the chaos."

Mikoto nodded. She and Itachi were in the kitchen while Shisui played Naruto and Sasuke. At first, Sasuke seemed apprehensive of Naruto but the other boy's friendliness soon got the better of him. They did begin to bicker shortly after, so Shisui was left to play mediator, much to his chagrin. Sasuke could be a pain whenever he felt like it, especially when he seemed have a deep dislike for Shisui, and with Naruto added to the mix, he was surely going to have a whole new work out he really didn't want or need.

Mikoto busied herself in the kitchen with preparing lunch for the children as Itachi made sakura tea to drink.

"The clan definitely won't agree with the Hokage's decision and with how things are right…"

Itachi looked at his mother then hesitated. "Kaa-san, Taicho has a plan. I didn't agree with it at first but it makes sense and seems to be the only way for the Uchiha not to start a civil war, at least not yet."

Mikoto looked questionably at her son, as proud as she was of son's achievements, she hated that he was involved in their clan politics, despite his young age. "Am I allowed to hear of it?"

"Taicho wouldn't mind if you are aware of but Tou-san cannot know until the Hokage discloses the information to the Village clan heads. Taicho decided to only mention it when the meeting takes place."

"You have my word, Ita-chan," Mikoto promised.

"Taicho told me in private, the day after he gained custody of Naruto, that Hokage-sama will hold a meeting after Tou-san's mission with the major Village clan heads on his decision to have Naruto adopted. No doubt each clan will raise questions on why Taicho of all people, given his past, was allowed to adopt him. That was why he came up with this plan, though he still has to discuss it with the other members of Team Rou.

"Taicho wants to train Naruto the way he and I was trained. I disagreed and reminded him that he originally said that Naruto wouldn't be trained anytime soon. Obito-san came in then-"

"So Obito is involved as well," she interrupted. Although she knew of the severity of the mission, that would explain much about Naruto's behaviour, especially towards Sasuke. She dreaded the thought of another Obito and Kakashi.

"Hai. Obito-san said that it was needed or else Naruto wouldn't be prepared for when he grows older. He took time to convince Taicho that although Naruto's physical skills for his age would be commendable, it still wouldn't be enough to convince the councilmen, especially Danzou-dono."

"But even if he is trained how will that affect the council?" Mikoto questioned.

"Taicho says that clans, such as the Hyuuga, will be more at ease that Naruto will be trained as they will see it as the Kyuubi's container being trained as weapon to be used should Konoha go ever go to war with the other villages. It also gives assurance to the other clans that if Naruto is being trained by someone like Taicho, then he won't be a nuisance to the villagers. Danzou-dono won't influence the hokage to train Naruto in ROOT because Team Rou would already be training him."

"It does seem that this plan might work, Naruto fits in perfectly with your team, Ita-chan. As expected of Kakashi-kun. His sensei would be proud of his planning skills," Mikoto chuckled softly.

"Actually, Kaa-san…Obito-san came up with the plan."

"Huh?"

Itachi smiled at his mother, "He really did Kaa-san, Obito-san is a capable Jonin after all, despite being the adult-sized Naruto. Though jokes aside Kaa-san, will this plan really be the best for the Naruto's sake?"

Mikoto shook her head. Itachi telling her about Kakashi's plan was just a way to seek council on whether he should agree with it or not. She finished preparing the lunch and moved to a cupboard to get plates.

"Ita-chan… I know that I'll never be able to understand the situation you are in. It breaks my heart that you're involved with all this clan and village politics. But I know Kakashi-kun so trust in him. And Ita-chan, no matter what happens you can always count on your parents, ne. Tou-san may not act like it all the, but we'll always support you, so trust in us, okay?"

Itachi finished making the tea and set it down with the lunch. He turned towards Mikoto and uncharacteristically hugged her. "Arigato, Kaa-san."

* * *

Sasuke looked at Naruto with a sneer on face. The two sat crossed legged apart from each other, the living room's coffee table being the barrier. Naruto stared back at him with a look of disdain on his face.

"It's true!" Naruto shouted while Shisui, who sat perpendicular to the table looked back and forth between Naruto and Sasuke dreading what was going to happen if Mikoto or Itachi didn't return from the kitchen soon.

"Nu-uh. Nii-san's better!" Sasuke shouted back with equal fervour.

"Ita-nii is great but Kashi-nii is better." Naruto's statement hit a nerve; a red tick mark appeared on Sasuke's forehead and he growled before he jumped across the table and tackled Naruto to the floor.

"What did you call him?! Nii-san's my nii-san not yours. And he's better!"

Naruto thrashed about from under him and punched Sasuke just below his waist.

"Teme!"

By now Shisui jumped up and tried to separate the two without hurting them but got kicked instead by Sasuke where it really hurt. He keeled over and groaned. _Damn it! If this is what having kids is like, I'm never gonna have one._

Itachi and Mikoto came into the room soon after hearing the racket the children were making. Itachi went to separate Sasuke from Naruto and Mikoto when to check on Shisui.

"Demons, the both of them… never gonna have a kid," Shisui managed to mumble. Mikoto sweat dropped.

Itachi managed to get the them apart and held both by the scruffs of their clothes. They both glared at it other.

"Sasuke. Naruto, explain," Itachi said sternly and placed them both on opposites of him.

"It was his fault!" they both said simultaneously.

* * *

"Mikoto-san, once again I'm really sorry," Kakashi apologised to Mikoto for the third time after coming to the Uchiha residence to pick Naruto up.

Mikoto laughed slightly, "It's fine, really. Sasuke never had as much fun as he had today, Kakashi-kun."

Kakashi shifted his gaze across the home's entrance and set his eyes on Naruto standing next to him. "Still…don't you have something to Mikoto-san, Naru-chan?"

"I had lots of fun today Oba-chan!" Kakashi facepalmed.

Mikoto smiled at him. "I'm glad, Naru-chan. I'm sure Sasuke feels the same way, ne Sasuke-chan?"

Sasuke stood next to her and said nothing, though a small smile could clearly be seen on his face despite the darkening sky.

"Be sure to bring Naru-chan again soon, Kakashi-kun. And good luck."

Kakashi gave a genuine eye smile. "Arigato. Goodbye Mikoto-san, Sasuke-kun." He bowed slightly and gestured for Naruto to do the same.

Naruto interpreted it wrong, greeting instead, "Bye Oba-chan, Sasuke-teme!"

Mikoto's eyes widened and she had to restrain Sasuske from launching another attack. Kakashi inwardly groaned, picked Naruto up and shunshined home. _He's been spending too much time with me and Obito…_


	11. One-eyed Moron

Kakashi sat cross-legged in his garden and stared at his reflection in the pond situated in the middle of the big plot. Next to him was a cup of black coffee that was yet to drunk and the latest Icha-Icha novel. He paid the coffee and novel no attention as he continued to reflect at himself. His mind was a mess and his body seemed to act to its own accord, unwilling to move. Kakashi was glad Naruto was with Itachi and Shisui, that way he wouldn't be stressed even further. Raising Naruto was no burden however, it was a challenging task.

Kakashi let out a sigh. It hadn't been long since he gained custody of Naruto yet, he felt worn out. He loved Naruto but after not being used to feeling any emotion that wasn't negative, his heart felt heavy. In less than a fortnight, Fugaku Uchiha would be coming back from a mission meaning the dreaded time for the hokage to reveal to all the major ninja tribes of the village that Kakashi now held complete responsibility over Naruto would soon arrive.

It was no secret that many in the village considered the young child to either be a weapon meant to defend the village or a nuisance that should've died along with the defeat of the Yondaime. The plan that Obito had come up with had many flaws, though it did seem like it would work. He hated the very idea of training Naruto, feeling that he would be no better than the Hokage leaving Naruto under the care of cruel civilians or Danzo Shimura, who surely after hearing that Kakashi adopted Naruto would try to persuade Hiruzen to give him up to ROOT.

Really what made him different to the rest of village that he despised and yet still strived to protect? The village that casted his father out for saving his comrades from the enemy and the village that purposefully treated a child, that had no say in his situation, as less important than even a bug. Kakashi knew that he was no better than those people for they had raised him, tormented him and ultimately made him into the ominous man that he was.

He managed to stretch his legs out and did the same with his arms. Kakashi took a deep breath in, let it out after some time and continued the pattern a few times. He didn't feel that much better but at least his mind seemed clearer. He gulped down his coffee and shuddered slightly. _Cold and no sugar,_ he thought. With another sigh, he picked up his book and began to read. There were still a few hours until what he thought was appropriate to pick Naruto up from the Uchiha residence, assuming that the teens did take him to meet Sasuke. Naruto needed that and he was sure from everything he heard from Itachi that Sasuke needed it too.

Friends were a good thing to have, after all.

* * *

" _I'm telling you it's better if we train him!"_

" _So he can become like us? He's three years old, Obito. He shouldn't be doing anything besides being a child. You know we only "trained" him to get on Hokage-sama's good side."_

" _And the clan heads, what bout them? The Hokage can be swayed easily and you know it. We need to train Naruto and prove to the village that he's not just a demon's vessel, Kakashi!"_

_Kakashi squeezed the bridge of his nose. What couldn't Obito understand? He never had to go through training since he was child and he never had to be put straight into a war before he could comprehend what war truly was like! It was easy for him because he never went through any of it._

" _I said no, Obito. I'm not putting Naruto through that."_

_Obito groaned. "Look, Kakashi. I didn't come here in the middle of the fucking night knowing that Naruto would be asleep for you to act like an idiot. And that's coming from me."_

" _Your grand plan is for us to train Naruto and that it'll somehow make the village agree with me keeping Naruto?" Kakashi practically scoffed at him. The plan made sense but it seemed baseless._

" _My plan, Kakashi is for us to show the clan heads that Naruto isn't just a burden to our village. The Hyuuga value strength and have an influence over other tribes. If they can see that Naruto being trained even as Jinchuuriki to protect the village should war ever break out, then we already have part of the council sorted. The rest that are undecided won't see him as a nuisance and agree. Can't you see, Kakashi? The answer's right here."_

" _And Danzo, what about him and the other advisors?"_

" _If the elite of ANBU is training Naruto, why would ROOT be needed? We could use this as an opportunity to get rid of that division as well!" Obito shouted, not loud enough to wake Naruto._

_Kakashi stared at his friend. He was shocked to hear actual reasoning from Obito, he had expected him to rant about nonsense but this… Though he still couldn't fully agree. In his eyes, they were just using Naruto to save themselves, depriving him of having an actual childhood._

_Obito laughed sarcastically. "As if he would have one. He's the bane of Konoha, he wouldn't have a normal childhood even if we begged and pleaded the village."_

_Damn, he had thought aloud._

" _Alright. Say we train him; how will we go about it? He gets bored easily and the tricks we used last time won't have the same effects."_

" _You really are making me use my brain, teme. It's past midnight!"_

" _You're the one who came here, baka!"_

" _Only because I had an a-tiffany, Masked-faced Creep!"_

" _It's pronounced epiphany, One-eyed Moron!"_

" _Oi, you've got my other eye!"_

* * *

Kakashi woke up with a harsh gasp. His book now splayed across his lap after falling off from his face. _When did I even fall asleep?_ The sky was darkening, he had better pick Naruto up. He didn't want to be late unlike that idiot he dreamt of. He picked up long-forgotten cup lying next to him and the Icha-Icha novel before standing up. He stretched and made his way inside his home.

Maybe Obito was right, maybe this was the way to protect Naruto. Besides, there wasn't a war going on and there wouldn't be one anytime soon. He had Naruto to protect and like hell would he let the child fall prey to Village politics.

His hand went to touch his masked eye _. That Baka could really be smart if wanted to._ Kakashi chuckled slightly, now he would need to have a word with Tenzou. It was something he wasn't looking forward but it was needed if he wanted to succeed in his own plans. Itachi wouldn't know about, neither would Obito and certainly not Naruto. If Team Rou was to survive then that would be the only way to do it; they needed to break what they swore as squad never to do. Loyalty and trust would mean nothing if a member was dead in the end.


	12. What Happened to Genma and Raidou

It was well past noon and the day couldn't have been calmer with the birds chirping, the sound of children laughing and overall, no sight of any trouble in the Village. The sky was a tranquil blue and no cloud could be seen. A day like this was what could be considered a blessing for any ninja working in the ANBU division- especially if they recently got back from yet another mission in which they shouldn't have survived. For two ANBU nin however, this day was a blessing for a completely different reason. It being that their angry squad captain would not be in the mood to completely sully their day with the usual punishment they received when they annoyed him too much.

Now, Genma and Raidou couldn't help themselves. They had just heard from Obito that their beloved captain gained full custody of a certain blond chibi that they were already extremely fond of, despite knowing him for little more than a month. They had visited early in the morning to a) visit Pup, their nickname for the child, and b) to tease the hell out of Kakashi. What they did not expect was that their captain would be exhausted. They knew from experience that Naruto was a handful but for Kakashi to be that tired? If they knew they wouldn't have gone within a fifty-mile radius of him for one simple fact that everyone on Team Rou knew; pissing of Taicho was one thing but pissing off a tired Taicho was another.

The two now laid side by side on the grass in Konoha Park. They were dressed in the usual chuunin get-up instead of their ANBU wear so that none of the parents in the park would be alarmed. Genma, with a newly injured arm covering half of his face, was on the verge of falling asleep when Raidou cried hysterically and sat up.

"Aaah! I can't take this, this day's too dull!"

Genma, not making any movements, replied, "That's what you said this morning before you got man-hunted by Taicho."

"Oi! You agreed to come too."

"I was in the mood to see Pup, not get beaten to a pulp by Taicho."

Raidou groaned, "Taicho's been on edge a lot, probably cause we've got that mission coming up and the Uchiha police force coming back."

"What do you expect? Obito's been pestering Taicho a lot lately with that 'grand plan' of his and with the issue of Itachi being taken off Team Rou too, Naruto just adds to the list of problems…"

Genma sighed and sat up, he wouldn't be getting sleep anytime soon. Taking a senbon out from the pouch that adorned his pants, he stuck it in his mouth and turned to look at Raidou.

"What? Don't tell me you didn't know."

Raidou's mouth hung slightly open, his brow furrowed as well. "Itachi's leaving?"

"Guess you don't then. Rumour has it that Itachi's going to be promoted soon, probably become a captain himself. Most of us are against it, some claiming he's only ten so he wouldn't know what to do but others… they all for it. They're saying things like he's the Uchiha prodigy so he should know how things work. They just want him to get promoted so he can go further down the line and end up like Taicho, except he won't be able to handle it and end up mad or something."

"And Hokage-sama agrees with it?" It didn't make sense to him. Sure, Raidou had like one conversation with the hokage so he wouldn't know what to expect but surely he wouldn't consider it.

Genma shrugged. "That's all I heard before Taicho and Tenzou changed the topic. But one thing I do know is that Hokage-sama's being pressured by more than one side."

Now it clicked. "The Uchiha themselves," Raidou answered.

"Yep, along with Danzo. You know how he hates Team Rou since Tenzou was ROOT and Taicho ruined that for him and he considers the rest of us useless bastards, but he hates the Uchiha more and Itachi's stuck in the middle."

"Taicho's got a plan then. He has, I'm sure of it."

"Of course. Itachi's one of us. A hell of a lot better in skill and smarter too, but he's a reject like us. We stick together."

Raidou smirked, "Wow, couldn't have said it better myself Genma."

"Piss off. Let's go bother Tenzou, I've had enough of this park.

* * *

Tenzou was having a bad morning. He had woken up with a terrible headache, fallen over when he attempted to get out of his bed, tripped over his ANBU mask on his short trip to his small kitchen and when he finally made it, he discovered that there were no painkillers at all and he didn't even have coffee to start his day off. Tenzou without coffee was as good as a remote without batteries; useless.

He grunted and just in that moment, the doorbell rang. He reluctantly made his way to the door, carefully avoiding any objects that were lying around on the floor. He considered himself a hypocrite as he would often yell at Team Rou to clean up behind themselves when he himself was a slob. Tenzou was about to answer the door when he heard two familiar voices. He looked through the peephole and almost screamed. _Absolutely not,_ he thought to himself. _The only thing worse than this duo is that annoying Pup._

"Tenzou, open up! We know you're standing by the door. We can practically hear your thoughts from here with all your grunting," Raidou shouted from outside.

 _I've been grunting the whole time?_ Voices could be heard from the hallway, particularly Anko Mitarashi shouting at Raidou to shup up, interrupting his thoughts.

"What do you want? It's still morning." He attempted to shout, he discovered that he now had a sore throat as well.

"It's past noon, Tenzou," Genma replied.

He opened the door slightly and peeked out. "It's what time now?"

"Man, you look like shit," Raidou. He stuck his foot by the door and pushed Tenzou out of the way. Genma followed him into the apartment.

"Tenzou," Genma began, "You really need to clean up after yourself."

Tenzou, perplexed, stood by the entrance before a red tick mark appeared on his forehead. Raidou made his way to the fridge while Genma sat down on the couch that adorned the small living area.

"You-you two! What are you doing here!?"

Raidou came back from the kitchen with a sandwich half in his mouth half in his hands. "Mhmn?"

"That was my lunch!"

From the couch Genma spoke, "Tenzou, do you have anything else to eat. I'm starving."

"Nah, he only had this sandwich. It's really good, want a piece?" Raidou replied.

"Yeah thanks, Raidou." He caught the other half of the sandwich when Raidou threw it at him. He was about to bite into it when Tenzou slammed the door.

"Listen to me, damn it! What are you two doing here? This is my house, my couch and my sandwich. I woke up with a fucking headache and there's no painkillers or any coffee in shithole of an apartment. So really, I am NOT in the mood for either of you. Got that?!"

Both Genma and Raidou stared at him. What was it with them and bothering people when they are more likely to kill them than usual? Raidou swallowed the last part of the sandwich and cleared his throats.

"Right. Sorry about that, guess we went a bit too far. Umm… actually we came here to talk about Itachi."

"I overheard you and Taicho talking about him leaving Team Rou so we came here to confirm it. We got distracted and started acting like how we normally do. Sorry about that," Genma said and took a bite from the sandwich.

Tenzou sighed, "If you're going to apologise at least stop eating my food. About Itachi, it's better if we wait for Taicho. He wanted to think it through before jumping into anything and besides, Hayate's not here either."

They both nodded. Raidou detached his pouch from his pants. He took a small medicine ball out from it and threw it to Tenzou.

"I take these when I get headaches out on missions. They weren't cheap either, got it straight from the Akimichi."

"Thanks, Raidou."

"No problem, Tree Boy."

Genma slapped his forehead. _Leave it to Raidou to make things worse,_ he put the sandwich down on the couch, not caring if it left a mark. They needed to start running again before Tenzou used his _Mokudon Technique._ Being beaten up by the captain was already enough, he didn't want to experience it from Kakashi's vice too.

"I'm giving you five seconds to get out of here before I murder you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a small chapter about what happened to Genma and Raidou after Kakashi got annoyed. Not exactly the best but I wanted to add some humor as well as some hints as to what's going on with Itachi after the previous chapter's note about him. Also I'm putting it out there that a "team member's death" is NOT about Itachi at all but someone else. Note that this will also be the last chapter of light-hearted humor and that chapters after this will be darker until it reaches the point in the story where Uchiha Massacre takes place.


	13. Coup d'etat

The hokage stood by his office window, staring at the setting sun. He stood with one hand behind his back and the other held a pipe in his mouth. His hat lay low on his head; his furrowed brow could not be seen. He took a drag and slowly released it. Once the sun had completely set and there was no light in his office except that of outside in the hall, did he turn around and sit at his desk. He should be going home but he couldn't find it in himself to leave, not until he decided on what needed to be done.

Hiruzen Sarutobi was a man of many feats. He had fought in the First Shinobi War, been selected as the Third Hokage despite his young age at the time, he was the strongest shinobi in his clan, and was hailed as the "God of Shinobi" due to his excessive knowledge of ninjutsu. Yet, he considered himself a failure. He failed as teacher, a leader, and overall, he failed as ninja of his village. The Uchiha's hatred was growing and so was the likelihood of a civil war breaking out. He didn't want to use Itachi, that would be against everything he stood for. He couldn't use a child that was already dragged into a mess that the elders created, he already did that. Naruto was finally learning what it was to like to be loved, he knew from the crystal ball. Hiruzen watched as Kakashi showered the child with more affection he never knew the ninja had. It wouldn't last forever though, peace never did.

It was a sad truth. To have a peace, there must be war, and to have war, there must be peace. It was impossible to live in a harmonious world free from heartache and terror, but like the senile old fool he was, Hiruzen chose to fool himself into believing that goodness and prosperity would come out of the state the Village was in now. The advisors disagreed with him of course, especially Danzo Shimura. The old warhawk was insistent that the key to solving the crisis was getting rid of the Uchiha once and for all. But was it worth it? The Uchiha had a history for sowing hatred among others. Their ability to copy other's ninjutsu, their pride and arrogance, their history with the village, it never sat well with anyone, but to rid an entire clan?

He was fool but he had hope. The angels wold certainly fear to tread the road that he was rushing to pave, but he had no plans of stopping. The Uchiha would regain their status and the Village would prosper, this would be his last act as the Sandaime of Konohagakure.

He took one last drag of his pipe before putting it out completely. It was going to be a long night, he had better put the lights on.

* * *

They were finally home and thankfully Naruto had exhausted himself too much to pester Kakashi. Upon arrival, after having shunshined to prevent a fight from breaking out between Naruto and Sasuke, Kakashi had put Naruto immediately in bed. The child had insisted that he was not tired but as soon as his head had hit his pillow, he was out like a light. The elder of the two chuckled to himself and placed a kiss upon Naruto's forehead unconsciously. He was shocked at first, falling to his knees once he realised what he did but let out a deep sigh instead. _I seem to be doing that a lot these days thanks to you, Naruto,_ he thought to himself as he left the room.

The manor was big enough to maybe fit in a playroom, Kakashi observed as he walked down the hallway from Naruto's room. It was not nearly as big as the main Uchiha residence but it bigger than most. Apart from his and Naruto's rooms, there was the kitchen, the living room, the bathroom, an armoury, the tearoom and of course the room where he had not entered since he was child. There were a few spare rooms, the manor was most likely designed for a bigger family after all. _Then again, perhaps a playroom would be unnecessary since he thinks the entire place is his personal playroom._

Kakashi sensed four familiar chakra signatures in the living room. Well, at least he didn't need to see Tenzou in the morning anymore. He made his way to the room.

"You four be quiet, Naru-chan's asleep."

"Ah Taicho, adapting to motherhood quite well I see," Raidou joked and earned a jab in the stomach from Genma. "Ow!"

"Can you be serious for once!"

"Both of you shut up," Tenzou spoke from behind them.

Tenzou, Hayate, Genma and Raidou were standing just by the living room's entrance. Raidou scowled at Tenzou and walked over to one of the couches in the room.

"Making yourself comfortable after this morning, eh?" Kakashi said and sat on another couch.

"Taicho, you're still angry about that?" Genma asked.

Kakashi waved his. "If I was, you'd have more than just an injured arm, Genma. Might as well make yourself at home, we'll be at it for longer than I'd like."

"I'll make the tea, Taicho," Hayate said before coughing.

"Coffee please, Hayate. And try not to cough in it."

"What the hell happened to you? You sound like shit." Kakashi said noticing the slight wheeze in Tenzou's voice. Hayate made his way to the kitchen as Tenzou and Genma sat down.

"Arigato, Senpai for asking. I've got a flu," Tenzou replied sarcastically.

"Pfft, you've been in a shitty mood the whole damn day, Tenzou."

"I wonder whose fault that is, Genma."

"If anyone, it's gotta be Raidou."

"Oi! Don't go adding me into this!"

"For Kami's sake shut up!" Kakashi reprimanded and gave them all a menacing look. "Naruto's sleeping and if he wakes up, I've got to deal it. Tenzou, you had a shitty day; probably didn't have coffee this morning, Hayate's making it now so keep quiet. Genma, Raidou, you're pissing everyone off if you don't knock it off, Naruto won't be the only one unconscious!"

A chorused "Hai, Taicho." was heard before Hayate came back with tray of tea and coffee. He coughed, careful to move the tray away from his face before setting it down o the table between the couches.

"Did I miss something?"

"Nothing important Hayate. You know about Itachi's situation, I suppose."

"Hai. Genma informed me on the way here, Taicho."

Kakashi cocked a brow and looked at Genma.

He laughed awkwardly, "I may or may not have eavesdropped when you were telling Tenzou about it."

"Better than me having to explain it. Just so you know, Itachi won't be hearing of anything that was discussed tonight."

"Huh? But Taicho-" Genma began but Tenzou interrupted him.

"It would be pointless for us to discuss this here without Itachi in the first place if we were to tell him later. Whatever it is that Taicho planned is better without him knowing. Am I right, Taicho?"

"More or less. I don't have a plan yet. I was going to see you in the morning, but I guess you guys beat me to it. We're bound to come up with something now that we're all here." Kakashi took a cup of tea from the table. "What I'm about to tell you now is something that Itachi confided in me. It breaks our rule on trust, but the rule will mean nothing when one of us is bound to die."

The room stilled. The team looked at their captain, how could he have said that with such a calm voice, one of them was going to die? They knew as the infamous elite Team Rou, they were always on death's doorstep, but the certainty of death was something unfamiliar to them,

"Taicho…" the rest of the words couldn't even be said. Raidou Namiashi for the first time in possibly ever, was unable to even comment.

"And here I thought you would be raving about finally going to die in a way worthy of a Leaf shinobi," Kakashi said. He drank from his tea and then sat it down again.

"That-That's different, Taicho! How… why us?"

"Because Itachi's part of our squad, Raidou."

"Senpai are you saying that Itachi is going to die?" Tenzou asked, all previous anger gone.

"No. Itachi won't die."

"Then who?"

Kakashi shook his head and gestured at the beverages. "It's better if you'll drink something first. I'll tell you about Itachi but you need to clear your head first. When I heard it, I barely stopped myself from attacking the Uchiha clan myself. If we're to save this team, we can't run wild on our emotions. This is an unofficial mission for Team Rou sans Itachi. No emotion-"

"No mission lost," Genma completed the phrase. "We've said that before every mission Taicho, it's practically our motto but this is Itachi."

"Taicho if this is a mission, it doesn't just involve Itachi, does it?" Hayate asked and reached for his own cup. Thank Kami, he decided to make coffee for himself as well.

"How does the involvement of the hokage, the advisors, and the Uchiha sound?"

* * *

" _Taicho, mayI speak to you?" Itachi asked Kakashi. It was the first day after attempting to teach Naruto basic skills and Itachi stayed over longer than the rest of Team Rou. They were both sitting on the steps outside the residence leading to the garden, Naruto having retreated inside to take a nap._

_Kakashi was reading his Icha Icha novel while Itachi was eating dango that Kakashi had given him as a reward for helping with Naruto._

" _If you want more dango, feel free to get more from the fridge," he said without looking up from the book._

_Itachi stopped eating the dango immediately, earning a side glance from Kakashi._

" _Taicho, it's not about that I'm afraid."_

" _About the Uchiha then, I suppose?"_

" _Hai."_

_Kakashi put his book down and ruffled Itachi's hair. He did that a lot recently, since he started taking care of Naruto. Kakashi began to see Itachi as more of a child than an ANBU operative._

" _I'm all ears. Don't worry about the rest of Rou hearing about this either."_

" _Ariagoto, Taicho," Itachi said and finished his dango immediately. With a hard gulp as the last piece went down his throat, he looked at Kakashi with his usual serious look. In that moment, Kakashi couldn't help but think he looked adorable._

_Kakashi shook his head, Naruto was corrupting his thoughts. "Well?" he asked._

" _Taicho, they're planning on having me promoted to ANBU captain. They want to use me as spy, I mean they already do, but they aren't happy with the reports that I'm giving them. I'm not ready to be a captain, Taicho but Otou-san is using his influence to try and persuade Hokage-sama."_

" _I've heard that rumour around Headquarters. Danzou seems to be entertaining it as well."_

" _He approached Shisui already. With Shisui's sharingan, the clan believes that they'll be able to overthrow the village, but Danzo-dono knows about his ability and wants him to use it for the Village."_

" _Shisui-kun has a mission coming up, I've heard. Danzo's probably behind that."_

" _It's to the Land of the Waves, it's insignificant according to Shisui but I don't know Taicho."_

" _Danzo's most likely using it as a distraction to convince him to come over to his side, depending on who accompanies him on the mission. That leaves you alone with no outside influence, well that's what they think anyway."_

_Itachi looked confusedly at Kakashi._

" _Danzo knows that you're a double agent for the village but he doesn't know that both Obito and I are involved as well. We'll spread doubts about your capabilities around Headquarters and the hostels. Hokage-sama has to approve in the end but he won't be able to if half of the force disagrees."_

" _Taicho…ariagoto."_

_Kakashi put both hands behind his neck and leaned backwards with his legs stretched out to lay across the wooden floorboard._

" _Don't mention it. Now tell me about the coup."_

" _How do you know about that, Taicho?!"_

" _I didn't until you just confirmed it. Obito's an Uchiha too, even if your clan disowned him for saving a bastard like me. He knows how you guys work and assumed by how quiet the police have been, that a coup is being staged."_

" _Obito-san's good at pretending to be an idiot then," Itachi muttered._

" _Nah, he's a moron, his head just chooses to function at times."_

_Itachi sighed. He trusted Kakashi but wanted to wait a little longer before telling him about the coup. He didn't want to depend on Kakashi for everything, he was ANBU ninja. Obito beat him to it, despite how often they bicker, they were a formidable force together._

" _Otou-san doesn't want to go through with it, but the clan elders disagree. If I don't start reporting what they deem as worthy insight, they're going to revolt. Shisui's role is just for reassurance but with Hokage-sama still not meeting with our demands, a coup is definitely going to happen."_

" _I see. What will you choose then? You're a double agent for the Village and Uchiha, you're going to have to choose one to save. Duty as a village ninja or duty as the clan heir?"_

" _I don't want to choose either, Taicho. What is the point of life if you are to meet a meaningless end?"_

" _Itachi, we're ninja, ANBU at that. Our sole purpose is to serve the Village and protect it. Our death is nothing compared to the lives of many. A ninja is a tool and unfortunately, that's how we die. Both can't be saved without the expense of the other."_

" _Then what would you choose Taicho?"_

" _I'm a coward, Itachi. If I was in your position, I'd choose the easiest option and fool myself into believing what I did was right all along. That's where we differ, if you choose the wrong, you'll repent whereas I'll just regret."_

" _Then what do I do, Taicho?"_

_Kakashi sat up and looked at Itachi straight in the eye. "You'll do nothing. You're ten, Itachi. Your clan may think that you're invincible but you're not. You are a child. Make the same mistakes I did thinking that your rank means anything despite your age, and you'll let everyone down. This is an order from your captain, continue your reports as is. Obito and I will handle rumours, Shisui-kun will be dealt with later."_

" _Otou-san will know something is wrong if I don't change the way I act," Itachi turned his head away from Kakashi._

" _Let him know but don't do anything rash. Wait until after Shisui's mission ends, that's when we'll act. I told you before, on our first mission, that as ANBU we observe from the shadows while the others sit around the fire. You're around the fire now, I'm in the shadows so trust me."_

" _You wouldn't have done this if Naruto hadn't come into the picture."_

_Kakashi laughed and Itachi turned to face his captain._

" _You're right, I wouldn't if Naruto hadn't been in my life. He's giving me a second chance so I refuse to let any of my nakama down."_

" _Taicho…"_

_"Thank me once everything's over. It'll take a while but like hell will Team Rou disband. This coup that's going to happen will not have you or Shisui-kun in the front lines."_

_Itachi nodded, "Taicho would you mind if I spend time here a little longer. Sasuke will have a fit when I get home but I would like to not be surrounded by anyone from my clan right now."_

_"Stay as long as you'd like, I'll go get some more dango for you."_

_Itachi immediately perked up. Kakashi stood up and went inside, frowning while he did so. He managed to sound nonchalant about the whole thing but he was fuming on the inside. He clenched his fist and punched the nearest wall. Hopefully neither Naruto or Itachi heard that. The Uchiha will prosper, the Village needs them on their side more than anything but Danzo will go down. ROOT will crumble and so will any attempt at a coup._


	14. Start of the Counter-attack

"And that's the entire story," Kakashi said and looked around the room. All the members of Team Rou were drinking either coffee or tea to try to calm their nerves as they listened to their captain explain. It was not working.

Raidou was the first to speak up, "So this whole time Itachi was a spy." It was meant to come out as a question, yet it came out as a statement. Raidou supposed it made sense in a twisted kind of way. Itachi was an Uchiha after all and him spying for his family just seemed to explain why he was in ANBU so early in his life.

"Double spy. The hokage knows about the Uchiha using him, so he's being used as a spy for the Village instead," Kakashi confirmed.

"So you knew all along, Taicho?" It was Genma who spoke now.

"Of course. I'm the captain of this team."

"But you never bothered to tell us about any of this."

"What good would it do, Genma? When Team Rou was formed, we barely knew each other, despite majority of us going to the same school. Telling you about Itachi's role as a double spy would cloud your judgement and you wouldn't be able to trust him."

"Can we trust you, Senpai? If you held back such a secret then Itachi isn't really the problem here."

Everyone looked at Tenzou as he said this, Kakashi just eye smiled.

"You should know the answer for yourself, Tenzou. Out of everyone here, you've been with me the longest."

"And I've always been loyal, ever since the beginning. I'd follow you blindly even though I never understood your decisions. I didn't want this team to be formed with broken members but I gave in because you insisted, Senpai. Itachi being on Team Rou just increased everyone's hatred for us, including Danzo, because of who he was. I never did anything because you insisted. Everything, from leaving ROOT to accepting Naruto, I agreed with it because you wanted it. But you never trusted me with anything, not even with your thoughts. How can I trust you when you can't trust my ability as your vice?"

The room stilled, the only sound being empty cups placed back on the table.

Kakashi, expression never changing, said, "If I never trusted your ability then why would I have kept you around. I've got a reputation around Konoha, every ninja associated with me either dies or meets misfortune, look at my genin team for example. Both Sensei and his wife are dead, Rin is dead and I've got Obito's left eye for Kami's sake! But I kept you around. If I didn't trust your ability, I would have avoided you, so that you wouldn't be associated with me. I'm a mess, Tenzou, it's not a secret, but you've always followed me, so how could I not trust you?"

Kakashi's opened his eye and looked at Tenzou. He cheeks were slightly tinted; his expression was a mixture between admiration and pride.

"Well if it's like that then I suppose…"

Raidou let out a sigh of relief, he honestly didn't want to imagine what would have happened if they got into a fight. Wood against lightning and Naruto would be sure to join if he heard the commotion. _Maybe it wouldn't be so bad, might be comical even what with two ANBU members fighting to the death with a toddler in the mix, kicking and screaming about ramen. That would be entertaining to watch,_ his thoughts were interrupted by Hayate's coughing.

"Um Taicho, gomen for ruining your…er… bonding moment with Tenzou but, well you never really answered the question of who's going to die."

Kakashi turned his attention to Hayate now.

"Oh that, it's most likely me that's going to die," he looked at everyone's expression. "See, that's why I told you to finish the drinks, you would've spat it out now."

"What the fuck, what the actual fuck? First you tell us that Itachi's been a spy this entire time and now you're telling us that you're going to fucking die?!" Genma's outburst triggered everyone.

Tenzou was back to being angry, his headache somehow back, Raidou was muttering incoherent sentences, Hayate's coughing seemed worse and Genma was fuming. Trust their captain to announce his death in such a nonchalant way.

"Kami, how many times am I going to have to reprimand you all tonight? I'm not dead now and won't be anytime soon."

"You just said earlier that one of us is bound to die!"

"Not if we come up with a plan to stop it from happening. Look, I get it. Apart from Raidou, I'm the only one who had a death wish but I've got Naruto to take care of now. I can't- won't die, not until he can handle himself."

That seemed to calm everyone down, just a little.

"What you're saying is that if Naruto wasn't in the picture, you would have just let yourself die?"

"Well yeah, I didn't really have a purpose to live, now did I?"

To everyone's surprise, Genma actually laughed, "Only you, Taicho would speak about death like it's some sort of reward."

"I take it that everyone's okay then, with Itachi being a double agent and my inevitable death that we're going to somehow avoid?"

For the second time that night, a chorus of "Hai," was heard.

"Good, we've got to come up with a plan that involves stopping a potential coup d'état, preventing my death and training Naruto in the meantime."

"Senpai, what was that last part?" Tenzou asked, brow already twitching.

"Ah, I seemed to have forgotten to have told you about that."

To Raidou's joy, a fight between the two men did break out that night, only it was probably the weirdest fight between two highly skilled and sober ninjas he had witnessed but it was still as comical as the fight he had imagined. There was no wood, lightning or a certain energetic chibi involved but there was the use of colourful language shouted in hushed tones to not wake said energetic chibi, and a wrestle of some sort that involved hair pulling, missed kicks and punches and a lot of shoving. Somehow, Kakashi's mask stayed on and didn't move down a single inch.

Genma and Raidou watched with equal amusement as Hayate went back to the kitchen with the tray of empty cups to make more coffee and tea. _Perhaps_ _Taicho has some alcohol lying around, Kami knows I'm going to need it for tonight. Yugao will be so disappointed when I show up to our apartment tomorrow morning tired and hungover,_ he thought sadly.

* * *

Obito woke up with a start. He had always been an easy sleeper despite what many would think. The slightest of sounds would startle him, though he was slow to react unless he was on a mission. Scratching was heard at his door which meant one thing, Kakashi was looking for him and he sent Pakkun to fetch him.

As if the dog could sense that he was awake, the scratching became louder.

"I'm coming, I'm coming! Damn you Kakashi, it's not even eight yet," Obito groaned and looked to the clock on his bedside table. The clock showed that it was way past eight, nearing the ninth hour of the morning.

"Well either way it's not like we agreed to meet or anything." He got out of bed and got dressed in a slow fashion. _Should've told me beforehand, then I would've been rushing,_ he thought as he put on the standard blue sandals that most ninjas in the Village wore. He finally left his room and met an annoyed pup that stood proudly by his feet.

"Kakashi asks you to come by the manor. He says it's rather urgent."

"If it's so urgent then why didn't come by himself?"

Pakkun turned his head away in shame. "It's best if you see for yourself," was his simple reply.

At that, Obito immediately left the hostels with Pakkun behind him. While he didn't shunshin to the manor, he did run. He didn't have enough energy to instantly transport himself to Kakashi's side, but he hoped that whatever was wrong wouldn't be that bad. Scenarios of unlikely dangerous events were running wild in his head. Kakashi was more than capable himself, so if needed him something was definitely wrong.

Obito arrived at the manor and immediately went in, on guard the entire time. He heard Naruto scream and rushed towards the living room. In that moment, he wanted nothing more than to kick both Pakkun and Kakashi to Suna. They woke him up early in the morning, made him rush to the manor thinking something was seriously wrong, only to be met with this sight.

On the floor in the living room lay Tenzou completely asleep and snoring blissfully. Hayate seemed to be passed out, his lower body on the couch and his upper body face first into the wooden floor. His usual pale face was slightly flushed and he mumbled something that vaguely resembled 'Yugao'.

Genma was sitting cross-legged by the coffee table with his head cradled between crossed arms and a pen resting in one hand. He was sleeping and drooled on a piece of parchment paper that his body covered halfway. Raidou was on the far end of the room, close to the kitchen, throwing and catching a giggling Naruto. They both noticed him and greeted.

"Ohayo, Obi-nii!"

"Ohayo, Obito!"

Obito only waved in response and looked around for Kakashi, who unsurprisingly was missing in action, and so was his dog.

"Where's Kakashi?" he asked Raidou, trying his best not to completely lose his temper in front of Naruto.

Raidou looked at him sheepishly and laughed slightly, "Uh Taicho's in the garden, doing um… research? Yeah, research. He called for you cause he wanted your help on something or the other and well the rest of aren't exactly capable of being useful right now," he paused to look at his teammates who were all unconscious, "See, Tenzou's asleep cause he had this really bad headache and was complaining about it most of the night so Taicho kinda knocked him out. And Genma just fell asleep cause he was writing the entire night; he's got the best handwriting out of all of us…"

Obito nodded. It was clear that Raidou was stalling for Kakashi but he didn't mind, he would kick Kakashi either way and then ask what the hell this was all about.

"What about Hayate? His face's flushed."

Raidou placed Naruto down and whispered something in his ear. Naruto, still giggling, ran past Obito straight through the kitchen to the garden.

"Hayate's hungover as shocking as it is to believe. Taicho and Tenzou got into a… disagreement of sorts and Hayate left to make tea and coffee, you know to ease the mind or whatever. Anyway, he decided that he needed a bit of a drink to function. It was a really long night and Hayate, well he's Hayate and doesn't handle commotion well. But then he got the ratio of tea to alcohol wrong and ended up with alcohol and no tea. It worked out well in the end, he gave these good ideas that we're sure to use in our plans."

"Plans?" Obito raised a brow and Raidou laughed a bit too much. It took a lot of restraint not to smirk, Raidou had always been an oversharer. He now had leverage over Kakashi to use as blackmail.

Just then Naruto came bursting in the room, dragging Kakashi by the arm behind him. Normally, Obito would have found the moment cute, now he just glared at the copy ninja. Naruto let go of Kakashi and jumped towards Raidou.

"Raidou-nii, let's play outside!" Raidou was more than happy to oblige. There was an awkward tension in the room between Kakashi and Obito and he honestly needed a breather, even if it was with Naruto who would surely tire him out.

"I'll uh just leave it to you two then," he said and swiftly picked Naruto up and left.

"You woke me up, made me think that there was an emergency only for me to find this dump?"

Kakashi raised his hand up. "Before you get all worked up, Bak-Obito, let me explain."

Obito crossed his arms, "I listened enough to Raidou ramble on about last night and how everyone except the two of you ended up unconscious."

"That damned Raidou, when I told him to stall I didn't mean like that," Kakashi mumbled to himself.

"What's going on? Raidou let it slip that you guys were planning something and then seemed guilty about it. He also said you wanted my help with something."

"Yeah, I do."

Obito did smirk now. Of all people, Kakashi Hatake, was asking for his advice. He had gone years listening to how stupid he is and now he wanted help from that same idiot.

"Karma's a bitch, eh?"

Kakashi rolled his visible eye. "Continue like that and I won't tell you about the plan."

Obito's whole demeanour changed. He shrugged his shoulders slightly and uncrossed his arms.

"You're going to tell me about the plan. I was going to use that as leverage against you."

Kakashi snorted, "Hah, Baka. You're a thousand years too early to think you have leverage over me."

"I'm older than you!"

"And I'm smarter. Now do you want to know or not?"

Obito glared and stuck his tongue out. "Fine. But we're taking this to the kitchen. I'm starving thanks to you and Pakkun."

They both made their way to the kitchen and Obito immediately raided Kakashi's fridge. He noticed the empty bottle of sake lying next to it on the counter. _Just how much did Hayate drink last night? Also how big was his tea cup that he finished an entire bottle of sake?_

"I usually drink the sake at night after Naruto's been particularly enthusiastic about the games he made up. Never enough to make myself drunk though," Kakahi told Obito as if reading his thoughts.

"What's Hayate like when he's drunk?"

"Same level of energy as a Genin, though still not as much as Naruto."

"I don't think anyone's on the same level as Naruto."

"You come pretty close."

Obito closed the fridge after finding milk pudding. He took a spoon out of the drawer attached to the counter and pointed it at Kakashi before digging into the dessert.

"Oi what's that supposed to mean?"

Kakashi hopped onto the counter and said, "Nothing much just that you're just as much a Baka as Naruto."

"He's technically your adopted son and you're calling him such names. Kushina-san's rolling in her grave ya'know."

"Please, me a father? We're seventeen, though sometimes it feels as though we lived through decades when we haven't even reached twenty."

"That's by choice though. We could be like Asuma and Kurenai. They're still Chuunin and living life as sweethearts."

"We couldn't be like them even if we tried. We've seen too much and got involved with things we shouldn't."

Obito hopped onto the counter as well, he and Kakashi were separated by the sink.

"Yeah besides I couldn't imagine myself being with anyone except Rin. She would've been great for Naruto, a mother figure even. Then again, an actual mother would've been even better."

Kakashi looked at Obito but said nothing. Obito was even more closed off than him and chose to randomly narrate his thoughts to his best friend whereas Kakashi kept his hidden from everyone. At least he used to. A lot of things about himself seemed to have been changing since Naruto came into his life.

"Sensei would still be Yondaime," Obito continued, he still ate the pudding but seemed distant. "There wouldn't be a war between the Uchiha and the Village, ROOT wouldn't exist, Naruto would be happy and we… we'd be normal. You'd still be in the ANBU, I think but I'd want to work more closely to Sensei, kind of like his apprentice or right-hand. Rin would definitely work at the hospital, she would be the next Tsunade-sama, except gentle, a lot gentler. Kushina-san would just stay Jonin or be promoted to Special Jonin, pity she never was. She was more talented than Jiraiya-sama when it came to Fuinjutsu… and now she never will be," he ended and slurped up the last bit of pudding still left in the small carton.

"Obito… I'm sorry. All the trouble started when I refused to save Rin."

"You weren't the one that killed her."

"Neither were you."

"I suggested that she transplant my left eye to yours when my body got crushed. After she did it, the Iwa ninjas attacked again and slit her throat before you could do anything. Sensei only came afterwards, when one of them tried to kill you and saved us. If I hadn't suggested it, you could've slipped away."

Kakashi glared at Obito, "That's twisted logic and you know that. We would've tried to save you anyway and because of you, I have both eyes and a sharingan to boot. You got crushed, took weeks to heal only to exiled because that damned clan of yours hated that you save the Village traitor's son. If there's anyone to pin all the blame on, it's the fucking kages. They're always using us cause we're just tools. The civilians adore them only because they don't know what it's like to be a soldier. But you'll change that when you're hokage."

Obito laughed and then smiled slightly at Kakashi, "You must be tired to talk like that. You never compliment me."

Kakashi just shrugged, "I've been up for most of the night with a good-for-nothing squad that complained, got drunk and annoyed the shit out of me. Of course I'm tired."

They both laughed and fell into a comfortable silence.

Obito cleared his throat, "So about these plans?"

"There's a lot you can't know to be completely honest. We came up with an idea to bash the whole coup d'état away but it's safer if you don't know."

"I'm only an Uchiha by name, why can't I know?"

"You're vunerable to Danzo. He won't care whether you were expelled or not, fact is you're an Uchiha and he's after their heads. Or eyes more like it."

"So Itachi can't know either. Got it, I'll remember it next time I talk to him or Shisui."

Kakashi nodded in approval. "Good. But with Shisui, you're going to need to guard him. Team Rou's in charge of Itachi but because of certain details of the plan, we won't be able to protect Shisui completely."

"All I have to do is guard him?" Obito questioned. That would be difficult without Shisui noticing. Obito knew that Shisui was the most powerful asset in the game, but he would be difficult to protect.

"Trying to watch from the shadows would be next to impossible. Shisui took out ROOT members like it was child's play. You're going to need to try tagging along on missions with him somehow and spending time with him outside missions as well."

"Okay, that's it for my role in the plan, then? Apart from my usual finding out what's going on with the Uchiha job."

"That's it for the Uchiha part of the plan. But I'm going to need your help with training Naruto."

That made Obito perk up. Excitedly, he said, "Finally decided to trust my judgement when it comes to parenting Naruto."

Kakashi waved his hand at Obito. "Not entirely. While planning last night, Rou decided that if we're to train Naruto we're going to do it properly. Naruto won't be another me or Itachi, forced into growing up quicker than we should've. Naruto's going to train as usual, like we did when Hokage-sama gave me the one-month trial. Difference is, he's going on missions with us."

"You're taking Naruto with on ANBU missions?" Obito couldn't see how that was any better than his idea.

"No, toroi! Obviously not, we're taking him out on stakeouts or guard duty. Nothing to scar him. He'll end up worse than me if he goes out on ANBU missions at his age."

Obito shuddered. He imagined a mini Kakashi, no he couldn't have that. In his mind a mini Obito with better skills than he had as a child sounded a lot better.

"What about chakra control?"

"That's Itachi's job. Uchihas are usually skilled when it comes to chakra control, except for you. Are you sure you were an Uchiha and not by some miracle ended up with the sharingan?"

"Very funny, teme. So what can I do with Naruto?"

"Surprisingly, I'm giving you free reign. You are technically co-parenting with me so you're free to teach Naruto whatever you think's necessary. Within reason of course."

Obito didn't bother listening to Kakashi after he mentioned free reign. He was imagining all the things he would teach Naruto. Maybe he'd take Naruto as an apprentice. He'd teach Naruto to respect he's elders and always help them in times of need to build up good karma, he'd also teach Naruto about girls. Sure, Kakashi was the one who had girls swooning over him but he would teach Naruto the proper way to treat them. Food was another thing that needed to be taught, Naruto couldn't continue to go on rambling about ramen like he seemed to do now for some odd reason.

"Oi! Are you even listening?"

Obito snapped out of it. Kakashi was no longer on the counter but was standing by the door to the garden.

"Huh?" came his intelligent reply. Kakashi just ignored him, he was way too tired for his moronic best friend.

"I said I'm going to check on Raidou. Naruto's with him so he's probably half dead by now. You're welcome to stay if you want, most of my squad's passed out already and they'll probably only leave after noon."

"Oh ariagato, but you know I'm probably going to empty the fridge."

"Do what you want. It's already been raided by Naruto and Raidou this morning. Tenzou drank all my coffee, Genma ate all the sweets and finished the tea and Hayate, well let's rather not go there."

Obito chuckled slightly then remembered something, "Where's Pakkun?"

"Sent him out to tell Yugao where her boyfriend is and to Itachi to tell him training for today cancelled."

"Won't he be angry with all the errands?"

"Nah, he and the pack's coming over to spend time with Naruto. They're probably just going to nap in his room with him but they consider it a reward for some reason."

"Makes sense to me. Did you say anything else?"

"Just that Naruto's going with Genma and Hayate on guard duty tpnight."

"They're usually on duty by the Hyuuga side."

Kakashi nodded, "It's going to be night-time, so he won't be noticed. It's guard duty and on Hyuuga territory, it would be unlikely that something would happen there of all places. Anything else?"

"I'm good," Obito answered his question and got down from the counter and Kakashi left to check on Raidou.

Obito couldn't help but feel that something was odd. He knew that Naruto going on guard duty was safe, he had Genma and Hayate with and it was on Hyuuga territory, yet he had this sinking feeling that Naruto and safe didn't belong in the same sentence. He just hoped that it wouldn't come to Naruto in anyway or the Hyuuga at that. They were a powerful clan in the Village and needed for the rest of the clan heads to accept Naruto's adoption.


	15. Hyuuga

Fugaku Uchiha had a sinking feeling in his stomach. In twelve days, he would be back in Konoha Village, yet he felt himself weary of the whole ordeal. He and a few members of the police force were on a mission gathering information about Sunagakure no Sato. There were rumours going around that a rogue Konoha nin was spotted in the hidden village with an odd companion. The hokage had appointed Fugaku and his top men in the police force to investigate and if possible, capture the ninja in question. The mission was supposed to last no longer than fourteen days, the amount of time in would take a ninja on foot to travel between the two villages.

It had only been two days but Fugaku knew that something was off. If a rogue nin was really spotted why would the hokage send him, the Head of Konoha Police Division, and his men on this mission and not the ANBU? He had no doubt in his skills, he was a clan head after all, but something wasn't adding up. The two days that was spent investigating he found and heard nothing from merchants and travellers passing through the forest between Konoha and Suna. One of his companions suggested that perhaps the hokage had simply given them a false mission to slow down their clan's plan.

He had a difficult time believing that as well. He may be against the hokage and the way Konoha was run but he knew that this mission was real, however he knew for sure that he was not told everything about this mission. Only two days past and that meant that in the next twelve days, he had better find any information about the apparent rogue nin or his reputation would be ruined. _Damn that Hiruzen! I even named my son after his father and he treats me like a fool?!_

Fugaku wanted nothing more than to go back to his family, but even there he would not feel at ease. He sighed and walked on further. He was leading his team through the dense forest but paid no attention to their talk and chose to tune them out. They were talking about the coup d'état and he had heard enough. He filled his thoughts with the good memories of when he was younger, before he became the head of his clan and his thoughts soon led to his wife, Mikoto.

 _She's probably having a tough time with Sasuke… and Itachi,_ he thought. With a slight frown, he turned around and signaled at his team to take a rest. They were deep in the forest and spent most of the morning walking; a break was needed. Few of them took out their water bottles and he remembered that his own was empty. A stream could be heard from a distance and an idea popped into his head.

"I'm going to fill my bottle at the stream, we'll continue when I come back." Someone probably replied to him or asked a question but he didn't bother to stay and listen. Fugaku wanted time alone.

The Uchiha elders were pressing for a revolt and the clan itself was divided. The only reason why he felt that the action was too extreme was because Itachi was in the middle of the situation. While his son was being used as a spy for his clan, Fugaku often questioned where his loyalties lie. Itachi would report back on a regular basis, his findings of the ANBU and what he managed to gather on the hokage but something, much like the mission he was on now, seemed off.

It was too simple; the reports were well detailed but Itachi's demeanour lacked any emotion. There was no guilt or shame when it came to Itachi. He accepted his fate and went along with it. _That's what he wants us to think,_ Fugaku thought to himself as he reached the stream. He bent down, unhooking his water bottle from the side of pants and twisted to open it. He filled the bottel with water and took a large gulp.

He knew his son, better than Itachi thought, and he hated how cold and emotionless he would act but hide his fear and struggles. Fugaku knew that Itachi would seek counsel from that Hatake brat or Shisui and hated that he wouldn't consult him. He was a clan head and the head of the police but he was also a father.

Fugaku knew he made a mistake the very day he brought Itachi with him to the battlefield when the Third Shinobi War took place. Itachi had killed a man albeit out of self-defence but ever since then, the boy never had the same outlook on life. At the age of four, Itachi was robbed of childhood innocence and couldn't stop thinking about life and death. He had the thinking of a kage, a village leader at a tender age and nothing could stop Fugaku from worrying about his son.

He drank more water, pretending that it was something stronger, and got up from his crouching position. Reluctantly and with a heavy heart, he made his way back to the rest of team to continue his mission. Unbeknownst to him, the very two figures that his mission was centred around were watching him from behind the trees and deep in the shadows.

"Master! He's right there, why not attack him now?"

His master hit his head, "I thought I told you Tobi, our only purpose was to investigate if the copy ninja adopted the Kyuubi's jinchuuriki. We can't attack now, Boss would lose it."

"But Master the Uchiha's right there! You can take him out," the squeaky masculine voice whined.

The master snorted, "I'm powerful Tobi but not enough. That's the Uchiha's clan head, he'll copy my jutsu before I get a chance to activate them. We'll leave them to take themselves out, I heard there's a revolt in the making…"

* * *

"Kashi-nii, I wanna play with you tonight!" whined an annoyed Naruto. He was excited once he heard his favourite nii-san tell him that he was going out that night, but his excitement soon turned into dismay when he learnt that Kakashi was not going with him.

"I told you Naru-chan, I need to see Tenzou but Genma and Hayate will keep you company." Kakashi wasn't lying, he did need to see Tenzou but to finalise their plans for the counterattack against the Uchiha.

"Tenzou-nii's weird! He was in the house this morning too, why didn't you play with him then Kashi-nii?"

Kakashi felt like banging his head against the wall; Naruto was being especially difficult. After he went to check on Raidou that morning, who was on the verge of passing out from lack of sleep and spending most of the morning with Naruto, the child had insisted on playing with him instead. Kakashi had managed to convince Naruto to take a nap on the basis that he would be going out later that night and that his ninken would take a nap with him. While the method seemed to work at that moment, fast forward hours later when Hayate and Genma needed to report for guard duty, Naruto insisted that Kakashi must accompany him.

"Naru-chan, Tenzou's was sleeping earlier remember? And Genma and Hayate will be with you so nothing will go wrong."

Naruto pouted. He refused to give up. "Kashi-nii! I wanna play with you!"

"And I said NO!" Kakashi shouted in retaliation he couldn't deal with him right now, not when he needed to save Itachi and Shisui from a revolt and his own life from taken. He immediately regretted it when he saw the look on Naruto's face. His pout vanished and turned into a frown.

 _Here it comes,_ he braced himself for a wave of Naruto's theatrics. It never came. The child stood still and looked at him, no sound, no tears, just empty stares. The atmosphere in the room was hollow. Kakashi had come into Naruto's bedroom earlier to help him dress for the night, it was cheery then.

"Kashi-nii, I'll play with Genma and Raidou tonight," Naruto said monotonously. Before Kakashi could reply, he sensed that the two ninjas were in his home. Naruto left the room before he did.

When he got to the living room, Naruto was happily giggly in Genma's arms similar to how he was with Raidou earlier. When Naruto saw Kakashi his entire mood changed. He stopped giggling and hopped off Genma to stand next to Hayate. Both ninjas noticed this and turned to look at Kakashi.

Kakashi waved his hand. "We had a small fight, it'll be fine," came his simple reply.

Though they knew that something else was wrong they didn't question further.

"Hai Taicho. We'll be off then," Hayate said. He picked Naruto up and held him protectively by his side, an arm over Naruto's waist and the hand occupied itself holding his katana in place.

Kakashi nodded and gave look to Genma, _if anything happens…_

Genma let out a nervous laugh, Raidou wasn't wrong with his motherhood jokes. Kakashi sent a chill down his spine with just one look.

"Taicho we'll be back by midnight when our shift ends, no need to stress. Pup's safe with us. Right Pup?"

Naruto didn't reply. He buried his head into the crook Hayate's neck. _Really Pup? You choose now to be quiet? Mother dearest is about to murder me with his glares!_

Kakashi said nothing to Genma's surprise. He looked between Naruto and Hayate and he had to wonder just how Hayate could stand there with all the confidence in the world while their captain was scrutinising them.

"Well then, we'll be off. See you in six hours Taicho."

They shunshined with Naruto leaving Kakashi in the empty living room. Just what was with that look Naruto gave him?

* * *

Five hours had past since they came on duty and Hayate felt like banging his head against a wall. They were hidden behind the bushes in the part Konoha Forest that overlooked the Hyuuga estate. Naruto had climbed up one of the trees out of boredom and was now stuck and Genma, bloody Genma, thought the situation was funny.

Hayate was not one to get upset easily but after waking up late in the afternoon with a hangover and a body aching from the previous night's awkward sleeping position, to going to his apartment only to be met with an angry girlfriend, he was not in the mood for Naruto's antics and Genma's lack of assistance. There was only one hour left until they could knock off but of course Naruto chose that hour to get stuck in a tree. He was quiet for most of the night and even fell asleep when they first arrived, Genma supposed that it was because he usually went to bed at sundown.

Then Naruto had woken up, quite loudly, and it took both of them to quiet him down. Hayate knew that the purpose of taking Naruto with them was to teach him about espionage without him knowing it. The only problem was that Naruto was still sulking about whatever happened between him and Kakashi and any skills that three-year-old him could even learn went out by the window.

"Genma," Hayate hissed, "Stop laughing and help him out of that tree!"

"Kami Hayate, there's no need to be that concerned. The tree's not even that high and it's nearly knockoff time anyway. Let's wait till then to get him out, maybe Pup could learn about chakra control," Genma said and continued to laugh. Despite the darkness, Hayate could see him smirk and wanted to smack it off his face with the hilt of his katana.

"It won't be funny if something actually happens or worse… Pup falls down."

"Please. This is the Hyuuga side of the Village, it's practically suicide if anyone tries to do anything here. Pup's had worse injuries from playing, if he falls Taicho wouldn't really do anything."

Hayate scoffed. _Just how many beatings will it take to get it into your head that Taicho loses sense when it comes to Pup._

Naruto was watching the scene below him with amusement. It was boring being outside with nothing to play so he climbed the tree. He never climbed a tree before, the trees in the manor were all too small or shrill to climb. He also wanted to see what Genma and Hayate would say to Kakashi. He was still angry that his nii-san had shouted at him. Naruto knew that he sometimes played too much but he didn't need to shout at him and be mean about it. He could just jump down, he wasn't that high up to be stuck but he wanted to play for a little longer. After all, this was his first time being outside so late.

While Genma and Hayate's argument got heated, Naruto was forgotten. The two ninjas instead focused on whether telling Naruto to jump or climbing up to fetch him was the better option. All was forgotten when Naruto started to thrash about in the tree to get their attention. He was told not to speak or to simply whisper if he saw anything but he too high up for them to hear. They looked up and saw that he was pointing towards the Hyuuga estate. Genma turned to look, his eyes widening.

Hayate noticing, turned around as well and couldn't believe what he saw. There were ninjas outside the estate but they weren't Hyuuga or even Konoha. It was a small group from Kumogakure nin, it was too dark too see their uniform but there was a slight glint of moonlight that shone on their hitae-ite. One of the ninjas was carrying an item big enough to be considered a body.

Genma looked at Hayate who nodded. He made a gesture to shunshin but before he could do it, Naruto jumped out of the tree and luckily landed safely on his feet. His guardians looked at him for a moment but their attention turned back to the Kumo ninjas. The ninjas noticed moment in the bushes and hurried to leave the estate. Genma smirked, _finally some action._

Hayate did not have the same reaction. His hand moved to his katana and he gripped hard. Naruto was with them so a plan of action was needed.

"Genma, we have little time to plan. We need to get Pup-" before he could finish his sentence, Naruto sprinted past him and Genma into the open, alerting the Kumo ninjas. So much for espionage. Their cover was blown.

Genma let himself and Hayate be known without thinking first and shouted, "Damn it Pup! We told you not to do to anything loud. Good luck becoming a ninja like this!"

"You're one to talk, Genma. Because of you we've both been outed now!" Hayate shouted at him.

Genma looked at him and then at the sprinting Naruto who was running towards the Kumo ninjas. Their shouting attracted the attention of the Hyuuga ninjas that came out to chase the enemy as well.

"Shit."

Naruto didn't know why he was running or who he was running to. He saw a group of men come out of the big house carrying something his size. For some reason, he figured that it had to be a kid like him. Impulsively, he jumped out of tree and ran to save her. _It must be a girl,_ he thought, _boys are bigger but I'm just small._ He could hear Genma shouting at him and there were even more men running after him, ones with long hair, but he couldn't stop now. That girl made a sound and it almost sounded like a cry but it was too soft for him to hear clearly.

The man that was carrying her was running even faster now and so were the men behind him. He briefly wondered what happened to Genma and Hayate, it was like they vanished in thin air then again, they did that sometimes and so did Kakashi when he does that disappearing trick.

"No! Kashi-nii's mean. Stop thinking about him!" Naruto shouted and surprised the men that were chasing him. One of them happened to be Hiashi Hyuuga, the head of the Hyuuga clan.

"You boy stop!" he shouted but Naruto increased his speed. Hiashi wanted to attack the man who had come into his home and stole something precious from him but there was another child involved. He couldn't attack without having to face the repercussions of his actions.

Naruto knew he if he didn't run faster the men would escape with the girl but they were slower than Raidou. He used to race with Naruto so this wasn't all that bad, Genma and Hayate would chase him with reed rods so the men behind him weren't much of an obstacle. Then he had a thought, he never climbed a tree before but he didn't struggle that much, all he did was jump and hold on to the trunk before he used his hands to climb. He could do the same now.

Naruto started taking bigger strides, just like Raidou told him to do when he couldn't catch up when they raced because of the height difference. He breathed in deep and let it out. Raidou told him that running sometimes became tiring so deeper breaths would help the air flow into his lungs. Naruto didn't understand what he meant or what lungs even were but he started to feel tired so trying it out seemed like the best idea. He locked his eyes on his target: the man carrying the girl.

When Tenzou would have treasure hunts with him, he always reminded Naruto to keep his eye on what he was looking for. He then jumped as far as his small body could and grabbed onto the man. They both fell down and the girl tumbled out of the man's grasp. The others, his friends, ran ahead and he was left stranded. He tried to shake Naruto off but he stuck firmly to him. The girl managed to stand up but her hands were tied behind her back and her eyes were blindfolded.

"Otou-sama!" She called out, "Otou-sama!"

One of the men with long hair, Hiashi, came rushing to her side. "I'm here Hinata. I'm here my daughter." He grabbed her and held her close to him, rubbing her back soothingly as she sobbed.

His eyes were a light violet, pupils distinct as the veins near his temple bulged. He looked at the young child, his daughter's saviour, and the man who he struggled against. The rest of his clan who joined his chase halted when they saw their leader holding his daughter. He lifted his hand, signalling that they were to stay in place. He wanted to interrogate and torture the man who dared try to steal his precious treasure and he wanted to question the boy, but he couldn't allow his body to let go.

Thankfully, two ninjas appeared from out of nowhere and lifted the assailant from the boy. One held the boy firmly in his arms and the other knocked the ninja out cold with the hilt of his katana. He coughed and then bowed.

"Hiashi-sama, I am Rabbit and this," he gestured to Genma, "is Frog. We're the ANBU appointed for guard duty tonight. Our apologies for not being able to intervene. My partner went ahead to gather the rest of this ninja's team and I followed behind to assess the situation. I've alerted the necessary authorities about this attack. They will be arriving at your clan's estate soon."

Naruto looked at Hayate and Genma. _When did they put on those funny masks? They didn't have it on the whole time. I want one too!_

Hiashi nodded and stood up. Quietly, he spoke to Hinata, "Hinata go to Hizashi, he will take you home. I'll be on my shortly."

She whimpered but let go of him. "H-hai Otou-sama."

Hizashi came over to collect her and gently removed the bands from her hands and the blindfold. He took her hand and left with the group of Hyuuga ninjas.

Hiashi eyes reverted back to their natural state and he looked at who stood in front of him. "Who is the child?"

Naruto, although flushed and breathing in shallow breaths tried to reply but Genma's hand clamped over his mouth.

"I'm sorry Hiashi-sama but that's classified information. Hokage-sama will arrive soon, he will fill you in on the all the details you wish to know."

"You are Frog? Tell me then, this child jumped on to the ninja that tried to take my daughter and his team abandoned him shortly after. Just how did you manage to catch the rest of them in such time and where are they now?"

"I simply shunshined myself to where I predicted they would be, there's not much place for them to go. It was either the forest that they won't know well or the Village where they would be caught easier, they chose the worse of the two. I passed them on to an Uchiha that happened to be in the area. They'll probably sitting in a police cell by now."

"I see. Very well, join me on my way back to my clan's estate. Bring the child as well, I suspect he would want to see your captain."

"How- how did you…"

Hiashi laughed slightly and turned around. "I am the leader of the greatest clan in Konoha of course I would have information I should not. You are part of the infamous Team Rou, the one with that wretched Uchiha brat and the Copy Ninja. The child also called out his name albeit with what I would assume is an affectionate term used between them. Now come, I wouldn't wish to have my daughter waiting any longer than what she has."

Hayate stared at the man's back as he began to walk. He definitely needed to find a wall to bang his head against. Yet another night he would spend with minimal sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ramadhan Mubarak to all my Muslim readers.  
> This chapter is relatively short and I apologise for not being able to post more. School has been hectic especially since it's online because of Covid-19, so I had little time to actually type this chapter out. As it is now Ramadhan this will be the last chapter for a while. I am not abandoning this fic but since it's an important month for me, Altered Reality will on hiatus. I hope that you enjoy this last chapter and that you stay safe in this trying time.


	16. The Princess and Her Ninja

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I'm officially back yay! Late Eid Mubarak to all those who celebrated. Before you read the new chapter 3 things should be noted:
> 
> a) I edited the previous chapters as much as I could without changing it too much from the original, so just minor grammatical adjustments (it was disaster doing so because I realised how cringey my writing actually is and I almost discontinued this story because of how bad it is... I won't do that because I realised this is the only way I'll grow but apologies for the horrible writing) - I also only edited it on FF because I don't know how to that on here without having to re-upload the entire thing
> 
> b) Feel free to follow me on twitter if you have any suggestions or ideas or anything really if you don't want to use this site as a medium- my handle is Marisnifty
> 
> c) Again really sorry for having you guys reading my shitty writing if I didn't love this story as much as I do I would've abandoned it but I don't want to because this means so much to me- so if you guys have any suggestion or ideas on how the story can improve or what you want the characters to do or how the story should progress please free to comment or pm me.

It was awkward sitting with the Head of the Hyuuga, his twin brother, the hokage and a squirming Naruto by his side all in one room. Well, awkward was one way of putting it. Kakashi did not plan for Naruto to be exposed to the world of shinobi that early in his life, but once again fate chose otherwise. He knew allowing Naruto to go on stakeouts and guard duty was a risk, but the current situation was just too unlikely, comical even. Never had he expected the little training he allowed Naruto to have earlier on would help expose a plan to kidnap a Hyuuga of all people. Naruto really was an Uzumaki at the end of the day, his mother having been in a similar situation when she was only a child.

Hizashi, Hiashi's younger brother and right-hand man, broke the silence.

"Hokage-sama, would you care to explain the situation? My niece had been kidnapped by a ninja of a village that we were on supposedly good terms with only to be rescued by the Kyuubi's container. I demand answers, this may have been an attack on my clan, but the repercussions could have brought devastation to the Village."

Kakashi tensed at the mention of Naruto being the Kyuubi's container but the hokage gave him a stern look.

"At ease Kakashi. Hizashi-san, I will answer all questions that is within my ability to answer, however do not use this as an opportunity to speak the words I have forbidden."

Hizashi opened his mouth to retort but was interrupted by his brother.

"Your words imply that there is more to the boy than you will answer, Hokage-sama. I will not press further into the matter more than I can as he has saved my daughter, but I want answers to all my questions regarding the ninja and his team who dared to steal from me."

"Thank you, Hiashi-sama. The ninja who attempted to kidnap your daughter will be taken to ANBU headquarters and interrogated by Inoichi Yamanaka, as will the rest of his team. An urgent notice has already been sent to the Raikage."

"I trust that they will all receive the death penalty then? Lest they want my clan to retaliate, which we certainly will if they do not meet our demands."

"It will most likely end that way, Hiashi-sama, though I wish you do not speak of war so easily."

"My daughter had been kidnapped; it is only by the grace of the young boy who saved her that the ninja is not dead by my own hand. I am a parent, Hokage-sama and I am willing to tackle whatever odds needed for the sake of my child," he turned his attention to Naruto and then to Kakashi. "Tell me, son of the White Fang, Hatake-san, why the Uzumaki child was on guard duty with your subordinates."

Kakashi felt all eyes on him, except for Naruto's. He had been squirming the entire time, the Kumo incident leaving a negative effect on him.

He laughed sheepishly and gave a tiny eye smile to Hiashi. "Well, uh, that's kind of you see, it's a complicated situation that I doubt you'll be interested in. I mean Naruto, that's his name in case you didn't know, is a very…active child and well one thing led to another and now we are...well we're here."

"How very articulate of you, Hatake-san. I am interested in why he was there and why he calls you by an affectionate term. Best you start explaining before, Naruto, as you called him, passes out due to the amount of discomfort he is feeling."

Kakashi looked at a pale Naruto. He didn't have much options anyway, it was better to answer now as he would definitely be questioned later by the hokage.

"Very well. Hokage-sama forgive me if I let too much out."

The hokage raised his brow but nodded. He was curious as well to say the least at why Naruto was with Genma and Hayate.

Kakashi took a breath and impulsively placed Naruto in his lap. It was odd, but he needed a sense of relief, usually he would just let the truth out and accept whatever punishment he was given. Now, he felt dread and an urge to hold Naruto close to him as a way to comfort each other. The rapid rate at which he was changing was concerning.

"Hiashi-sama, Hizashi-san, I ask that you view what I'm about to say in a neutral light and not in a way that I am using Naruto to gain power or influence."

They nodded and he told them everything from the beginning, the Uchiha and their plot being the exception. As it was, not even the hokage knew about his knowledge and it had to remain that way. He closed Naruto's ears praying that he wouldn't hear too much and if he did, he wouldn't understand the words used. It was too soon for Naruto to know why he was treated differently, he wouldn't be able to handle it or accept it. As though a miracle happened, Naruto fell asleep and was only awakened much later by Hizashi's cry of outrage.

"Train! This was a way to train him? And what would you have done Hatake-san if the situation had not worked out in our favour and not only would Hinata be in the clutches of Kumohagakure, but the Kyuubi as well?"

"Kyuubi?" Naruto asked dazedly.

"Hizashi I have warned you! Nothing for you to be concerned about, Naruto. Kakashi answer the question, I want to hear your answer," Hiruzen said.

"I admit that my actions are reckless, but as Naruto's legal guardian, I'm acting in his best interests. He'll have to face the rest of the Village some day and like hell am I going to let them take advantage of his ignorance. They won't treat him without bias, the school will withhold information from him and he'll be at a disadvantage. Sooner or later, there'll be others wanting to come after him, if I don't train him now then Naruto will live the rest of his life rejected by society and targeted by our enemies. He's not just a burden to the Village and should worse come to worse he'll even be prepared to defend us."

His answer met a quiet room, everyone considering his point.

"Then, Hatake-san, you have won my clan over. We Hyuuga do admire strength and if tonight is the result of Naruto using the little training you taught him, then we will support the decision of Hokage-sama. There is one more thing I would like to hear from you: you failed to mention what you would have done had the tide not been in our favour," Hizashi said.

Kakashi smirked, though it couldn't be seen from under his mask. "Rabbit and Frog are both Special Jonin under my command. Team Rou is the infamous elite ANBU squad and we've never failed a mission once since our teamed formed three years ago. To doubt their skill is to doubt my team, that never works out for anyone, ninja or kage."

Hiruzen let out a small scoff. "Keep your pride in check Kakashi and expect a punishment for your entire team for doing this without my consent. You may continue with this training of yours until the return of Fugaku Uchiha. What happens after that is the decision of the council."

Hiruzen stood up and looked at Hiashi, "I believe we have covered most of what you wanted to ask unless there is anything else you would want to know?"

"There is more Hokage-sama though I doubt you'll be kind enough to inform me of it all. Tell me though, with regards to his paren-"

Hiruzen raised a hand. "That is enough, Hiashi. Other than mentioning what he holds within, your question also breaks my law. It is for his protection and for the sake of the Village. I will be on my way if that is the only question you have. Goodnight Naruto," he waved at a confused Naruto and left the room.

The tension increased and Kakashi was glad that he had at least Naruto with him. _Now to find an excuse to leave this place-_ his thought were interrupted by a suddenly fully aware Naruto.

"Hey old man! Is the girl okay?" _Damn it Naruto! Would it kill you to not drag me any further? Calling Hiashi Hyuuga old man…_

His impromptu speech surprised Hiashi. "She is alright," he responded stiffly. Kakashi hoped that would be enough to satisfy Naruto.

"Hey old man!" _Why couldn't Hokage-sama take me with him. Naruto stop talking!_

"Why do you look like the other guy and why are your eyes so white?"

Hiashi was at a lost for words and while Hizashi didn't approve of Naruto's involvement, he found his speech amusing.

"I am Hiashi Hyuuga, you should learn to speak with more-"

"Old man you talk funny. You need to smile more too just cause you look like girl, you need to look happy, ya know?"

"You brat! I am only allowing you to speak like this because you happen-"

"Can I see her?"

Hiashi was seeing red. No one had ever spoken to him in such a condescending way. The child may have saved his daughter and earned his respect but other than that he-

"Old man! You're worse than Tenzou-nii. Can I see her please, pretty please?" Naruto used his puppy dog eyes for extra measure.

Hizashi let out a laugh. It was completely out of character but seeing his brother who always acted high and mighty unable to answer a toddler was a rare sight. The Hatake looked like he was ready to dig his own grave.

"Hiashi nii-sama compose yourself. Hatake-san do not worry so, my brother is just not used to Naruto's way of speech."

"Hizashi you…"

"It is the truth, nii-sama. Allow the boy to see Hinata as she is still awake, they will be out of our hair then and we can retire back to bed."

Hiashi considered his brother's words and in a second, he was back to his usual, composed self.

"Very well. Hatake-san, as thanks for your contribution to my daughter's wellbeing, you two will be allowed to see her, with my being there of course. Let us go," he said and rose.

Kakashi, glad that Naruto's choice of words did not land him in any more trouble lifted Naruto from his lap and stood up.

"Thank you Hiashi-sama and umm, sorry for Naruto's behaviour. I've been busy with training, so I never got a chance to teach him manners," Kakashi glared at Naruto and scratched the back of his neck.

"You will do well in educating him then. A ninja is both sound of mind and body, I expect better from you son of the White Fang."

He said and left the room promptly.

"Do not pay him mind. While I still do not like the idea of my clan supporting this decision, I admit that it is an interesting turn of events. It has been a long time since I have my brother act so normal so you have my thanks, Hatake-san. As well as you, Naruto-kun," Hizashi told him as he walked out.

With just Naruto and Kakashi left, the latter let out a sigh of relief.

"Just so you know Naru-chan, tomorrow we'll have a thorough talking-to."

Naruto paid him no mind and quite literally skipped to catch up with Hiashi, leaving Kakashi staring behind him. _Damn you Pup, you got me into so much trouble and still act like the victim. You're definitely Kushina-san's child alright._

* * *

Hiashi Hyuuga stood outside his daughter's bedroom and knocked lightly. It took all of his strength to not barge in and grab her by her shoulder, apologising for his past mistakes and how terrible he had treated her despite her young age. He could not do it, not while he had to maintain his stoic persona. He hated being clan head and wished that it was passed on instead to his younger brother. Hizashi would be a much better leader, he had seen how the rest of his clan interacted with his brother. They treated him with respect out of admiration, not out of fear of the main branch.

He shook his head; it was not the time to dwell on his regrets. Naruto stood behind him and gently tugged at his kimono. Hiashi had to admit that the small action was endearing, the thought surprised him as he hadn't thought of anything to be endearing in a long time.

"Old man is she in there?" Naruto asked. Hiashi was still annoyed that he was being referred to as 'old man', he was only thirty-two! He chose to believe that Naruto only called him that because he spent time with the much younger Hatake and his companions and not that he looked old in the slightest. His hair had a healthy gloss to it and his beloved wife often told him that she was jealous of how he never seemed to age.

"Yes, she is and refer to me Hiashi-sama or for the very least, Hyuuga-sama."

"Huh? Why not old man or ji-san?"

Hiashi's eye twitched. "Because that would be improper."

"Im- improp- improportion?"

"Improper. It means in unacceptable, is Hatake-san not teaching you anything besides how to develop skill?"

Naruto bobbed his head to the side. "Who's Hatake-san?"

Hiashi stared at him in disbelief. Was he just naturally this dense or was there something wrong with him? Age has nothing to do with stupidity. Hatake was doing the Village a favour by taking him in, he could only imagine how painful it was to deal Naruto.

He moved his gaze to the door again and called out softly, "Hinata, are you still awake? There is guest who wishes to meet you."

Hinata squeaked from inside her room. The night had been traumatising for her and now there was someone who wanted to meet her? Not wanting to cause anymore trouble for her father or the guest she answered.

"I'll be coming in then." before he opened the door, he gave Naruto a stern look.

"Absolutely no funny business young man," he said and immediately regretted it when he saw the look on Naruto's face. What was he doing, reprimanding a toddler to behave himself in his daughter's room? The night had not fared well for him.

He opened the door and Naruto immediately ran in. Hinata was sitting up in her futon and let out gasp as a boy about her size jumped on her.

"Are you okay?" he asked her. Hinata, still in shock, looked at her father who stood at the entrance. Next to him stood a young man with white hair that seemed to defy gravity. Her father did nothing so she assumed that the boy on top of her meant no harm.

"H-hai."

Naruto got up from on top of her and gave her a lopsided grin.

"That must've been scary! I'm glad you're okay. Kashi-nii did the same thing to me in the park."

Hiashi gave Kakashi a look.

"I didn't know what else to do, alright!"

The children ignored Kakashi and Hiashi. "I-I heard your- your voice," Hinata stuttered out. "Were you the one who saved me? Ari-arigato."

Naruto stared at her, noticing her features for the first time. He found it strange that she couldn't speak without repeating the words. Maybe she was also stupid? He was called that a lot whenever he did somthing wrong and hurt himself. Her eyes were also strange, there was no black dot in the middle like his and they looked purple. Her hair was short, only reaching just past her ears and it covered her forehead until her eyebrows. It was so dark it almost looked blue, it suited her much better than Sasuke.

She was very pale, almost like the snow he saw in winter but just a little bit darker. She looked stunned to see him and her cheeks started to turn pink. Weird.

"I guess. I'm Naruto! What's your name?"

"Hi-hinata."

"I like that name. It sounds better than Sasuke. Let's be friends!"

Hinata's eyes widened. "Friends?"

"Yeah! I like you and you're also really really pretty. Genma-nii said that if I see a pretty girl I should be friends with her."

Kakashi chuckled at that. Naruto obviously didn't know the meaning behind it but Hiashi did.

"Tell him to get off of my daughter before I take him off myself, Hatake."

"Relax, Hiashi-sama. He doesn't know what he's saying."

Hinata flushed bright pink. "You think I look pretty?"

Naruto nodded and pat her head. "You look like a princess from a story book."

"You- you look pretty too. Like a pr-prince."

"I don't wanna be a prince. They're boring, in the stories it's always the ninjas that saves the princesses."

"Then you can be my ninja, Naru-naruto-kun," Hinata mumbled loud enough for her father to hear.

Kakashi lightly grabbed Naruto from her before Hiashi exploded. He watched the entire exchange with a horrified expression and was about to grab Naruto when it seemed he wanted to lean in for a hug.

"Alright Naruto, it's almost one a.m. we need to get going now."

"But Kashi-nii, I just made a new friend!"

"And it's time to say goodbye. Goodnight, Hinata-chan."

Hinata looked at Kakashi and then at a struggling Naruto and giggled. She felt a safer and less frightened.

"Goodnight," she said.

"Kashi-nii you're mean," Naruto said as Kakashi made his way past Hiashi. "Night old man, night hime."

"Hime? Hatake you better-"

"I'm already on it, Hiashi-sama. Goodnight."

As he greeted, he and Naruto shunshined away. Hiashi was left alone in his daughter's room and Hinata was still recovering from meeting her new friend.

"Tou-sama, can you -can you stay with me tonight?"

Hiashi gave a the slightest of smiles and agreed, "Hinata I will gladly stay the night with you. I must tell you though, that just because he saved you does not mean you have to friends with him, my dear."

"Tou-sama, he was really nice and-and he called me 'hime'. I want to be his friend Tou-sama."

Hiashi groaned, "Very well Hinata, we shall discuss this in the morning. I am going to a spare futon, try to fall asleep before then."

"Hai, Tou-sama. I-I love you," she said softly and Hiashi, for the first time in a long time, smiled fully.

"I love you too, my dear."


	17. A Disaster in Three Ways

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Quick note before reading: Altered Reality will be completed as separate stories, so as soon as this part is done, a sequel will be posted shortly after.

"Naruto, I'm not going to repeat myself again. Look at me," Kakashi said in a stern voice.

"I don't wanna!" Naruto shouted at him. He was sitting on his bed with his back towards Kakashi. The ninja had attempted to put him in bed, hoping to at least get a few hours' sleep before needing to have the much-needed conversation with Naruto regarding what had happened, but as usual, Naruto refused to give him that gap.

"Naruto, I understand that you're upset about what happened but you need to go to sleep."

"Go away, you don't want me anyway!" His outburst surprised Kakashi. Just where did he get that idea from? Kakashi ran his hand through his hair, s _till upset from earlier, probably._ He reached out from where he sat at the end of the bed and gently pulled Naruto to face him. Even more surprising than his outburst, Naruto's face was tear stricken.

"Naru-chan, talk to me please."

Naruto's cheeks were flushed. He still refused to look at Kakashi but launched himself towards him. He wrapped his arms around Kakashi's shoulders and sobbed into the crook of his neck. Immediately, Kakashi brought Naruto closer to him and held him tight. He rubbed Naruto's small back but his attempt at soothing Naruto only made him cry more. His breath hitched, tantrums he could deal with but heartbreak he couldn't, not when the last time he was held in such a way his sensei was still alive.

"Kashi-nii, I hate you. I hate you, I hate you, I hate you! It's all your fault, I just wanted to play. Hina-chan almost got taken away, what about me Kashi-nii? What if I got taken away?" Naruto sobbed.

"Naru-chan I know you hate me right now, but I promise you that I didn't know this was going to happen. I would have made you stay with me and Tenzou if I did. You're precious to me, Naru-chan. I wouldn't let you be taken away."

Naruto calmed down slightly but he was still sniffling. "Don't lie Kashi-nii. You hate me that's why you sent me away. You're just like the old lady that kicked me out."

 _Old lady? I don't remember him being with any-_ Kakashi's eyes widened with realization. Naruto always wanting to play, him being upset when he didn't get enough attention, why he didn't like being separated from Kakashi, running after a ninja without thinking, insisting on seeing Hinata and hating being left alone . It all started to make sense, Naruto acted the way he did because of the time before he met Kakashi, when he was kicked out by villagers supposed to take care of him, before he knew what it was like to be wanted. Kakashi wanted to laugh at the irony but more than that, he wanted to kick himself.

He never spoke to Naruto about why he was in the park that night and he never bothered to ask Naruto about what his life was like before. To Kakashi, he was only three and couldn't have possibly understood what was going on around him, but he had missed all the signs. He knew Naruto would shy away when they were in public together and he noticed how Naruto would go quiet when people spoke about him. It scared Kakashi at how Naruto lasted that long without breaking down, at how good he was at keeping a façade when he was only a toddler. _Is this how Sensei felt around me when he was still alive?_

Kakashi let Naruto out of his embrace and held him at an arm's length. He wiped Naruto's tears with his sleeve and forced him to look up.

"Naruto, I love you remember? I told you that when you asked me before we met Team Rou, I told you that you were family to me. I could never hate you, never. You didn't deserve to be with that lady who kicked you out, and I would never do that to you. Naru-chan you won't understand it now, but you mean so much to me and to everyone around you."

"Even Tenzou-nii?" he asked quietly.

"Even Tenzou-nii. We spent the night talking about you and what games to play, we're making you a playroom Naru-chan," Kakashi said. He and Tenzou had spent the beginning of the night thinking of games to train Naruto with and the playroom idea seemed perfect. He would have an entire room and the garden to exercise his developing skills, all the while thinking it was just a game.

Naruto perked up, his eyes as wide as saucers. "Really, a playroom just for me?"

"Yep. If you want, Sasuke and Hinata can come over too. Though it still has to be built."

He smiled at the idea and Kakashi felt a weight lifted from his shoulders. He could imagine the different ideas going through Naruto's head, though he might have made it seem too perfect. Everything still depended on the decision of the council.

"Kashi-nii, you're not lying about hating me 'cause even if you are, I still get the playroom okay?"

Kakashi laughed, "I'm not lying Naru-chan, I promise. In fact, to prove to you I'm not lying I'll let you in on a secret. But you can't tell anyone."

"A secret? I definitely won't, Kashi-nii. I probmis," Naruto said and held out his pinky.

Kakashi had to resist rolling his eyes. He let go of Naruto to make it easier to seal the promise. "It's pronounced promise, Naruto, not probmis. I'll show you now but you need to go sleep immediately afterwards, okay? We're going to have a long talk in the morning about everything."

"Huh? What do you mean Kashi-nii?"

"Don't play dumb Naruto. You know what I mean. We're going to talk about what happened last night and you're going to tell me everything you've been feeling."

Naruto pouted. "Kashi-nii, I don't wanna."

"Well too bad, if you want to know the secret you have to agree. Otherwise I'll never tell you."

"Fine! But the secret must be cool. If it's not, I'll tell Obi-nii on you," Naruto huffed. Kakashi did roll his eyes this time, what he was about to show him was something he had never shown anyone and Obito would be the last to know because of how often he bugged him about it. _Well my parents had to know, but my mom died before I could even remember and Dad probably forgot how I really looked because of how I never took it off,_ Kakashi supposed.

He brought his hand up to his nose and by Naruto's gasp, he guessed that the secret was 'cool' enough. He pulled his masked down completely and while it did feel strange since he had never taken it off in front of anyone before, he felt an odd sense of relief.

"Kashi-nii you look so cool without your mask on!"

Kakashi smirked. "That's why Naruto I never take it off. It'll be too much for others to handle."

Naruto nodded, taking in his nii-san's words. It made sense to him, Kakashi already looked cool with his mask on but without it, he seemed even cooler. He felt special to be let in on this secret.

"Kashi-nii, can I also wear your mask?"

Kakashi pretended to think about it. "Nope. But if you behave, I'll buy one for your birthday, and that means going to sleep right now."

Never in all the weeks that Kakashi lived with Naruto had he seen the child jump that quickly under the covers and shut his eyes. He shook his head at Naruto's antics, glad that he was back to being himself again. The conversation in the morning would be a long one, but it needed to happen. For the first time he truly understood why the hokage initially refused to let him take guardianship of Naruto, he was constantly finding himself at a stumbling block. He wasn't about to give though, he said he would change, and he planned on staying true to his word.

"Goodnight Naru-chan," he greeted and left the room after he heard a quiet reply. _You must be rolling around with laughter, eh Sensei? I won't you down though, I'll raise him the way you and Kushina-san wanted. He'll be the best ninja this Village has ever seen and even if he doesn't want to be one in the end, he'll be an even better man than you, Sensei. I- We'll make you proud, I promise._

* * *

Hiruzen was livid. He wanted a peaceful night, he hadn't been getting enough sleep lately, and instead he was gifted with a three-in-one disaster. The Raikage had broken their treaty and attempted to steal the byakugan, by kidnapping the Hyuuga heir no less. Naruto had been involved with the incident and, by the grace of his _favourite_ silver haired nin, was also training already. To top it all off, Danzo had shown up in the middle of the interrogation with the assailants and demanded that he be put in charge of dealing with Kumo.

Hiruzen disagreed, _he_ was the hokage and _he_ would be calling all the shots. He had given Danzo and the advisors too much freedom to the point where they thought they had authority over him.

"Danzo, you will not be involved with this. If, under any circumstances, I find that you had your hand in this situation, you will be facing punishment," he said to the astonishment to everyone in the interrogation room. Inoichi and his assistants were just about done and were leading the Kumo ninjas back to their prison cells when their argument started.

"Hiruzen, it has been made clear tonight that you have no control over our treaties with the other villages. Allow me to handle this," Danzo insisted and glared at those around him. They left soon afterwards, leaving just him and Hiruzen in the room.

"For you to spark a war between our villages? Danzo, I have made up my mind and you cannot change it. Do not think for even a second that I do not know what your plan is."

Danzou chuckled slightly, "Ever the cautious man, Hiruzen, even in your old age. I have no ulterior motives, I simply want to defend our Village and put the Hyuuga at ease."

"The Hyuuga are at ease! I have seen them tonight and they agreed that if the ninjas involved with this incident are given the death penalty, then no animosity will be held. There is no need for you."

Danzo's visible eye twitched. He was struggling to maintain his calm look and tightened his fist against his cane. He took a deep breath and spoke, "You are being foolish, by showing them kindness you are allowing them to see Konoha as a weak state. Punishment to the Raikage and his village is needed."

"We are not a warring nation, Danzo. Konoha has been at peace for the last three years and it will not be disturbed. I know you plan on ridding the Uchiha and involving Kumo would be the cherry on top of the cake. Do not take me for a fool! I was chosen as the hokage and you will forever be in my shadow, that is your sole purpose is it not? I control the ANBU forces while you run behind the scenes with the illegal ROOT. Mark my words, Shimura, you will not succeed for as long as I live."

Hiruzen looked at Danzo with fierce eyes and walked past him. They were standing opposite each other in the room, Danzo nearest to the door. As Hiruzen passed him his grip on his cane tightened even more, leaving dents where his fingers were when he released his fist.

"You speak with great confidence, _Hokage-sama,_ " he spat, "but dogs do not sleep forever."

Hiruzen paused before he left the room. "Is that a threat?"

"It is a warning, Hiruzen Sarutobi. Your life and title mean little to me and regardless of what you are thinking, neither do the Uchiha."

The hokage turned around only to be met with an empty room. Danzo had always been a problem with but with recent events, Hiruzen found it difficult to maintain his composure. ROOT was still intact despite his orders to have it disbanded and what he had found with the help of Shisui on his most recent mission to the Land of the Waves was that there were moles within ANBU. The young Jonin thought the mission to be insignificant and simply given to him because of how quickly he would be able to finish it but after consulting Hiruzen the day before he was supposed to leave, he realised that it wasn't at all what he thought.

Hiruzen had no knowledge of his mission, it being given to him by Danzo without his consent. The old war hawk had the authority to do so but after learning who was to accompany Shisui, Hiruzen grew suspicious. Shisui's team consisted of two ROOT members, Dajimu and Tera, two of the most trusted agents of the subdivision. He instructed Shisui to be on his guard and repeat everything that was said during his mission. His thoughts were proven to be correct.

Dajimu and Tera tried to subtly convince Shisui to join Danzo's side. Under the pretence that he would think it over, Shisui questioned them further on what they had planned since they wanted him to join.

"We cannot reveal that to you unless Danzo-sama instructs us to, however if you choose to join you will be amongst the most honoured members," Dajimu told him.

"Is there some sort of hierarchy in ROOT?" Shisui asked. He knew that ROOT was in a league of its own when it came to Konoha's covert operations but for it to have its own hierarchy system made it seem more unnerving than it already was.

"Not necessarily but there are members that Danzo-sama hold in a higher regard based on your skill and loyalty," it was Tera who answered this time.

Shisui nodded but still unwilling to let it end there he asked another question, "Will this plan involve the Uchiha or will it involve Hokage-sama?"

Neither responded immediately, almost as though they could not reply but after a short pause, Dajimu said, "Like I have said, we cannot reveal certain aspects unless Danzo-sama allows it but the ANBU is involved. That is all you may now."

It disturbed Hiruzen when Shisui reported it. The ANBU were under his command but with Shisui's revelation, ROOT may have already infiltrated the corps.

When he finally arrived at the tower, he signalled at the hidden guards that it was him entering and flared his chakra signature to prove himself. He entered the building, switching on the main lights and made his way to his office. Glancing around to see if anything was amiss, he noticed that one of draws in his desk was pulled out slightly. He opened it completely and chuckled.

 _Of course, that would be missing,_ Hiruzen thought to himself, feeling giddy that Danzo had fallen for his trap. His plan was now set in motion, all he do now was watch with bated breath as it unravelled.

"You are foolish, Danzo if you thought I would keep Team Rou's folder at my desk, however I thank you for showing me your plan," he said quietly to himself.

In that draw lay a folder of Team Rou's records, its members' detailed history of living and serving in Konoha. The ANBU's records were usually kept in its headquarters but Hiruzen had ordered to see them during a meeting with the village advisors and Danzo three days ago. He kept the folder in his desk to see how long it would be until Danzo would realise it. He may be an old fool, but he had realised Danzo's advances a long time ago, it had just taken time to carefully craft his plan.

A page was missing from the folder and if he connected Danzo's words from earlier to that moment, he could form an idea of what his former teammate was planning. The page that was missing belonged to none other than Kakashi Hatake.

* * *

It was the early of the morning and Fugaku found himself unable to sleep. The entire mission now seemed pointless. Nothing eventful had happened once again and his team was starting to grow anxious. Usually after two days, there would be sort of contact with the enemy but there was none. He put up with another day of his team's constant complaining but was certain he would go insane if he had to deal with it for another eleven more days.

He planned on sending a member of his party with a message for the hokage within the next two days if things remained as peaceful; he would no longer partake in the mission. Although it went against protocol, he could not stomach the idea of wandering aimlessly until they reached the village located in the desert and had given in to the queries of his men. Fugaku knew that he was sure to face criticism for abandoning his mission, but that would be nothing when rumours would spread that the great Uchiha Clan head was given a mission based on false claims. It would bring dishonour on his clan and to him as both a man and ninja of Konohagakure.

He laid wide awake in his tent listening to the maddening noises that his teammates were making in their tent next to his. He was glad that he had given in to their demands of sleeping in his own tent because he was given some sort of sound barrier against their snores. Fugaku hated that part of missions, he could never find himself getting enough sleep when the people around snored. His wife, Mikoto, never snored but she was an angel and perfect in every way. He groaned and turned over to his side, using one arm to cover his ear.

"Stop thinking about her damn it! You're not some lovesick newlywed, Fugaku," he said to himself. He loved her wife dearly but wished that she would stop popping up in his thoughts whenever he went on a mission. He sometimes felt that he missed her a lot more than she did him when he left on long missions. Perhaps that was where Sasuke got his excessively clingy behaviour from.

"Come on, Fugaku, you need sleep." He closed his eyes and tried to relax his muscles. The snores coming from the tent next to him were just obnoxiously loud crickets. A small smile replaced his usual stoic expression. He could feel it, the gentle tugging of sleep. Just as he found himself unable to move, his body completely rested, he heard a squeak. His eyes shot open and after a few attempts of forcing himself to regain mobility, he left his tent.

He kicked the tent next to his and activated his sharingan. The sound had come from deeper within the forest. It may have been dark, but the lack of light only enhanced his hearing. He ran towards where he had heard the sound and whatever made the squeaking noise did it again. Without missing a beat, he took a kunai from his pouch that hung on his pants and flung it in the direction of the noise.

"Katon!" he shouted and a small fire illuminated the forest.

"Shall I aim my flames in your direction or will you state your business here, _boy?_ " he questioned the owner of the strange sound, a scruffy looking boy. He was held against a tree; the shuriken had stuck between the material of his tattered sweater and the tree's trunk. He was short and had a youthful look. The boy scowled at Fugaku.

"Oi, don't shoot the messenger, shitty old ninja! I was paid to do this."

"A loss of money for your employer then. I'll ask you this once more, what is your business here?"

"A please would be nice, ya know? I put in all the effort of listening to those bastards and sacrificing my sleep, the least you can do is quit threatening my life, ninja."

Fugaku threw another kunai at him, this one barely missing his throat. "Answer the question before the next kunai renders you unable to, boy."

"A'ight, I'll talk since you're so insistent but I ain't no boy, ninja," he said and pulled his arm to free himself. He gave a Fugaku a small satisfied smirk, "I could have done that earlier, just so ya know."

Fugaku's teammates arrived at the scene, ready to pounce. They came closer to where Fugaku stood but their leader lifted his hand.

"You four," Fugaku warned them without turning back, "stay on guard."

"Fugaku-sama, what is the situation?" a ninja by the name of Tekka asked.

"This boy has information on the supposed enemy we've been sent to scout."

"It's just a brat, so why do we need to be so guarded?" another ninja asked.

"Setsuna, do not question my authority and act according to your whims. You are to stay back."

The boy looked at Fugaku chastising his team with amusement and laughed. Fugaku released his killer intent causing the boy to shudder.

"You think you are in a position to laugh, boy? Do not forget your life is in my hands."

Still keeping up his confidence, he glowered at Fugaku, "I said I ain't no boy. Man, is being this broody a personality trait for all ninjas or is it just you Uchihas? Look, I have information that you want so don't go waving your kunais around and threatening to kill me." He slouched downwards to sit against the tree and rested his head against his arms.

"I was walking around the forest when this lady approached me, she had a mask on before you ask what she looked like, but she had this… thing with her. I think she called him 'Tobi' or something, Kami was he freaky. He had this high-pitched voice and wore an orange spiral mask with just one eyehole. The whole time she spoke he fucking stared at me! Anyway, she threw a pouch at me and said that was payment for delivering this message to 'that group of Uchiha cowards', her words not mine."

"What was the message?" Fugaku growled at him.

"She said, 'Tell him this past midnight, he'll be even more paranoid than he already is. Tell him that we were looking at him at the stream earlier, the great Wicked Eye Fugaku was being watched! If he could be spied on by ninjas like us, then it's no wonder why he's failing as a clan head. The Uchiha's destroying themselves… how ironic for the Leaf's most powerful clan. Take this as a warning for Konoha, Fugaku and repeat it to your hokage. Continue to chase us and we'll come after your weapon. Go to Suna and we'll raze the village after claiming their prized possession for ourselves. We confirmed the rumour, so war will come when they reach maturity. To all those who betrayed me, your day will come. Your master's blood was not enough three years ago. Figured it out yet?' that was all she said before walking away. I blacked out afterwards and found myself walking here when I woke up… that was about just before you caught me," the boy finished.

Setsuna charged towards the boy and dragged him up his arm. "You expect us to believe all this huh? Who is your master, tell me her name!" he shouted at the boy but received no reply. Instead, the boy's body shook violently and began to steam.

Fugaku observed the scene in front of him with his sharingan. _Your employer hit the jackpot with you,_ he thought upon realising what would happen if Setsuna continued to handle him violently.

"Setsuna get away from him! Tekka, Yakumi, fetch the medical supplies. Inabi leave immediately and repeat his message to the hokage. Tell him to send a recon team!" Fugaku ordered his team. "Now!"

The ninja called Inabi left, Tekka and Yakumi retreated immediately to their tent to get the medical supplies though Setsuna still did not let go of the boy.

"Huh? Fugaku-sama, don't tell me you're listening to him. He's leaving out information, we need to-" before he could finish his sentence, the boy pushed him hard causing him to fall to the ground.

The boy cracked his neck and stood up straight. His eyes rolled to the back of his head and his mouth opened wide. He lifted his arms up and ran towards Fugaku in a daze-like manner. Fugaku intercepted his movements and pinned him to the ground. The tattered clothing the boy wore seemed to melt away and Fugaku let go when he felt the boy's body heat increase with the amount of steam produced.

"Save-save me. They didn't tell me it would end like this," he said and groaned in pain. He cried out in pain as his clothes melted off his body at a faster rate.

Fugaku took a kunai and crouched next to him. "I sent my team to get our medical kit, but I don't think you'll make it till then. I will put you out of your misery but I think Setsuna's right, you are lying. Tell me, is what you said the truth or is there something that you are not telling me?"

He screamed as Fugaku ran the kunai along his bare back. The cool metal made the boiling feeling worse. The kunai left a small but deep cut between his shoulder blades as Fugaku pressed it harder into him.

"Well, what will it be? I'll have no problem torturing you as your body destroys itself from the inside, boy."

"Fi-fine I'll you everything, just stop dragging the kunai. Please," he panted.

"Speak fast then."

"Everything-everything I told you about the message is true, I don't know anymore than that. But the folks that hi-hired me, they're part of some group. They're called Akatsuki, I heard them say that name before I passed out. Please, you must save me! I live in a village nearby, the money, it's for my family. Please, I don't wanna die like this."

Tekka and Yakumi arrived with the kit but stayed back when they noticed the position their leader was in. He would not appreciate it if they interfered. Fugaku grinned slightly, "See that wasn't so hard now, but you made a mistake thinking I was easily swayed with words."

He turned the boy over and looked him in the eye, sharigan piercing into the plain brown ones. He held the kunai against the boy's neck and whispered, "There isn't a village nearby and what's happening to your body is your jutsu."

"How can you be so cruel?"

"Consider this a favour, boy. Your problem can't be solved with a few bandages and a soldier pill. Be glad I'm not letting you blow up."

With one slick movement, he slit the boy's throat. He checked the pulse and stood up, deactivating his sharingan in the process.

"Setsuna, get that look off your face and stand. He's dead."

"Fugaku-sama, you killed him…"

"He would have killed us if I hadn't. By the looks of it, he probably didn't know he could perform ninjutsu in the first place hence the reason he couldn't control it. He was a walking bomb."

Setsuna nodded and stood up. He walked towards the body to inspect it. The boy's front looked a salmon colour, his skin was blotchy and peeling from the excessive amount of heat coming from inside. His clothes were almost entirely melted off, save for shorts he wore and his part of his sweater that clung to his lower abdomen. Steam was still coming out his body and mixed with the blood dripping from his neck. Setsuna brought a hand to cover his mouth and turned to face Fugaku.

"How'd you think the enemy knew about it then?"

"Most likely, they didn't. They got lucky in choosing a proxy with an underlying power. You would have noticed it too if you used your eyes," Fugaku said as he beckoned Tekka and Yakumi to come over.

"Apologies, Fugaku-sama. We'll improve our actions next time," Yakumi said.

"Never mind that now. Sort out the body while we wait on recon, our mission's been cut short."

"Hai."

"Fugaku-sama are you sure we should retreat? We now know that the enemy was in this area, if we investigate we'll be able to apprehend them," Tekka said.

"They're no longer in the area, Tekka. You heard what he said, they knocked him out yesterday so they would have continued to move afterwards. Damn it! We would have caught them by now if I had just noticed them at the stream." Fugaku stomped his foot on the ground. He closed his eyes and clenched and released his fist. Losing composure now wouldn't do any good.

"When you're done sorting out the body, put out the fire. We'll go back to camp and return to Konoha tomorrow. We should be able to meet up with Inabi and the recon team along the way." Fugaku left, making his way back to his tent. While his team dealt with the body of a dead boy and putting out a fire he quite literally started, he allowed his thoughts to consume him.

He didn't grieve over the fact that he killed someone only a bit older than his son, he was a shinobi after all and part of their lifestyle was to protect their village whether it meant killing someone they'd rather not. He lived through and fought in the third shinobi war, Fugaku was a man with a heart hardened by war. One life meant nothing to the lives of many. _Mikoto, Itachi, Sasuke, I'm sorry for failing this mission and my role as a clan head. But I swear on my life, no harm shall come your way. No matter what happens after this, you will remain safe._

* * *

"Master, was this really the right choice? The others will be angry at us when they find out we messed with the Konoha ninjas," Tobi asked as they journeyed their way to their organisation's rendezvous point. They were both carrying oil lamps to light their way in the dark.

"They're always angry at something, Tobi. Pein will just have to get over it," his master mumbled.

"Tobi's tired. Why did we have to leave this early?"

"Because _someone_ decided to sleep in late and we need to make it back in time for the next meeting. You shouldn't even be tired, you're not even human."

"How rude Master! Tobi is human, aren't I?"

His master stopped and hit his head with the lamp. "Baka! Don't ask me after sounding so offended. And stop asking so many damn questions, I want to get as far as possible before dawn comes."

Tobi shielded his head with his hands. "Alright, stop hitting me. I'll keep quiet."

"Good." They continued to walk in silence but after a while, Tobi's master stopped.

"Tobi, it's not like I wanted to do it in the end. But I have to after the way they hurt me, it's only fair. I'm doing it for a good cause too, ridding the world of its treachery."

Tobi brought his lamp to his master's face. "Master, just because you're wearing a mask doesn't mean Tobi can't see your tears. I mean, I can't see it but I know they're there."

His master scoffed, "I'm not weak. I stopped crying a long time ago, Tobi so don't bring it up again. Konoha will pay for their crimes."

"H-hai, Master." Tobi said with worry laced in his words. He couldn't help but feel his masster would soon regret her words.


	18. Better Luck Next Time, Copy Ninja

The atmosphere was tense as a pair of cerulean eyes stared deeply at a pair of heterochromatic ones. Both sat cross-legged across from each other in room that was meant to be renovated soon. The tatami mats felt comfortable to sit on, though it was the only furnishing the room had. One occupant held a small dog, a tan furred, white snouted beast with long droopy ears and whiskers nearly as pronounced as the boy who held and pet him gently. His name was Guruko, a ninken.

The other, a man with gravity defying hair, cursed his dog silently for his obvious peaceful state. The traitor even smiled and nestled further into the boy's small arms! Kakashi scratched his neck and grimaced slightly, he was still not used to people seeing his face and Naruto staring at him so intensely made the uncomfortable feeling worse.

"Umm…Naru-chan, why-why are you looking at me like that?"

"Eh? Kashi-nii, I never saw your other eye. It's red!" Naruto exclaimed, startling Guruko. _Ha! Take that you traitor, I summoned you to help comfort Naruto if he started crying, not for you to have an early nap, you damn dog!_

"Oh this," Kakashi said and tapped his left eye lightly, "it's a, uh, gift from Obito."

"You can swap eyes for gifts?"

Kakashi inwardly groaned. "No, no, you can't Naru-chan. It's only possible if you're an Uchiha apparently, so you'll be in trouble if I catch you trying to take your eye out." Naruto pouted and Kakashi shuddered at the thought of coming home one day and Naruto had a missing eye. Children were scary things.

"Ne, ne, Kashi-nii. Why did that old man yesterday call you 'Hatake' and what's an Uchiha?"

"It's a surname Naruto. People use them so they know what clan you're from- a clan is a family- and the Uchiha are one of the biggest and strongest clans in Konoha."

Naruto nodded. "What clan am I from?"

Kakashi nearly blurted out Namikaze, thankfully he stopped himself. "Uzumaki. Your full name is Naruto Uzumaki and mine is Kakashi Hatake."

"But Kashi-nii, why can't I be called Naruto Hatake?"

"Well that's… that's because…." _What am I supposed to say? If I mention his parents, it's a whole new string of questions I could end up committing treason for, if I say he can't then I'm betraying his trust. Damn what am I supposed to say? Think, Kakashi, think!_

"Naruto," he began slowly, "I know you're avoiding last night's talk. I'm not stupid, we're going to talk about it one way or another."

By the look on Naruto's face, Kakashi knew he skilfully, as usual, avoided a topic he didn't want to talk about. Truthfully, he almost forgot what the whole purpose of the morning was due to Naruto's odd behaviour.

"I don't wanna, it makes me sad," Naruto said.

"And that's why I'm here, Pup!" Guruko spoke up for the first since he was summoned. _About time, mutt._

Guruko chuckled at Kakashi's dark look, then nuzzled his snout in the crook of Naruto's neck.

"Stop! That tickles, Guru."

"Kinda the point, Pup." He turned his head to point at Kakashi, who immediately changed his expression. "See that grumpy boy over there, he wants to know everything about you, he's like your dad but mostly like your brother. Trust him, Pup, and when you cry, I'll make you smile again."

Naruto hugged Guruko tightly causing the dog to wheeze. Kakashi thanked Guruko with a gesture he learnt to do when he first summoned them; his trademark eye-smile. Guruko winked.

"Naru-chan, you're ready then?"

"H-hai, Kashi-nii."

"Let's start from the beginning then, okay? You don't have to tell me everything, just the important stuff. Naruto why were you in the park?"

Naruto let go of his strong grip around Guruko and looked down. "The old lady kicked me out. She grabbed me and then put me outside. The other kids were sleeping but I wasn't 'cause I was hungry. Kashi-nii, I didn't do anything bad! I wanted to eat-but-but- she said she hated me. The other lady said it too," Naruto said quietly. Guruko squirmed in his arms to keep him from crying but his eyes were already watering.

Kakashi clenched his fist. Naruto was three! While he may not be the best example of how a person should treat others, this was a toddler. At least he now knew why Naruto was so small and scrawny for his age.

"How long did you stay hungry?" Kakashi asked.

"She always gave me bread and milk in the morning."

"That was it?" Naruto nodded.

"And the other lady?"

Naruto started to cry, Guruko nuzzled his neck immediately. Kakashi wanted to grab Naruto and hold him firmly but he feared that Naruto would refuse to talk afterwards. Reluctantly, he let Guruko do the work.

"She hit me a lot and it really hurt. Hokage-jiji came in when she did it one time and he gave me to that old lady with the other kids. She used to call me 'kyu'-something, but I didn't get it cause my name's Naruto. She said I was a monster!"

Kakashi got up from his sitting position and pulled Naruto roughly into hug. He held him firmly against his chest, whispering in his ear that it was alright and that he was not a monster. Guruko wriggled his body free from Naruto's arms and gave him a dog-like 'hug'. They were not angry, no, both ninja and ninken were absolutely furious, but Naruto was more important.

Naruto pulled away from Kakashi and Guruko once he calmed down. "I'm fine."

"No, you're not. Stop lying to me Naru-chan. I want you to trust me enough to tell me when things are wrong," Kakashi said and Naruto shook his head.

"I don't want to go, Kashi-nii. I wanna stay with you and Obi-nii and everyone forever. I wanna play Hinata-chan and Sasuke. Guru, Pakkun and the doggies, I like playing with them. But you lie a lot, Kashi-nii. What if you don't really me want me, will Hokage-jiji take me away again?"

"Naru-chan…" Kakashi looked at Guruko but the dog just shook his head. He didn't know how to respond, had Naruto thought he was lying the entire time?

"Naruto, I'm not- I mean- look there's a lot going on right now. It's true that I lie a lot, to you, to everyone but I would never hurt you, Naru-chan please believe me. I can't tell you some things, you're way too young to understand but I promise I'll tell you when you're ready, okay?"

A deadly silence took over the room for what felt like hours. Worried that he said something wrong, Kakashi reached out to Naruto, but the child was quick to dodge.

"I don't get it, Kashi-nii. I don't know what you're saying, why are you lying to me?!" Naruto shouted at Kakashi, surprising him. He stood up, Guruko falling to the ground and landing disgracefully on the floor. Naruto grabbed at his hair, pulling and tugging, until small tufts started to come out. The room felt smaller, tighter. It started to become difficult to breathe.

"I don't wanna talk! They hate me, you hate me. I- I hate me." The air pressure increased, and the temperature rose higher and higher as Naruto cried.

Quickly, Kakashi got up. "Naruto calm down-" but before he could finish, a strong wave of air hit him and he fell backwards. Guruko whined looking at the state both his masters was in. The fur on his body stood up, alerting him of the approaching danger.

"Kakashi, what do we do about Pup, he's losing control!" The copy ninja was glad the room was not furnished, surely by then the room would have begun to shake. He stood up and tried to get to Naruto, it wasn't that far, the child was literally an arm's length away. _Why, why can I not reach him?_

It was like an invisible shield surrounded Naruto. The closer he came, the stronger the shield became and pushed him away. Kakashi could hear it, things in the other rooms shaking, the ceiling wouldn't last long either, the manor was not built to survive earthquakes, caused by nature or otherwise.

"Why are you lying? When will I leave? Why didn't Hokage-jiji take me again, he's coming, I know!" Smaller, tighter, the room seemed to be shrinking under the weight of Naruto cries.

"Kakashi, this isn't good. Look at Pup's teeth it's becoming like mine," Guruko said. Kakashi looked carefully at Naruto, his canines were growing slightly.

"Guru, it's the Kyuubi. It's taking advantage of Naruto being unstable. He's going to-" The chakra force had a feint red tint to it; it grew and grew, slowly losing its shield-like characteristic. Now, it was a fire ready to raze the manor to the ground.

"-lose control," Guruko finished quietly for Kakashi. They exchanged a look; _it was now or never_. At lightning speed, Kakashi bit his thumb and slammed his palm against the now heated tatami mat. Smoke enshrouded the both of them and once it cleared, three members of the Eight Ninja Dogs stood in its place.

"About time you called us, Boss," the suave voice of Akino, a sunglass wearing dog, spoke up.

"Seems the situation got out of hand, that's what you get for using a mutt like Guru," another said. He had 'shinobi' written in kanji in the middle of his tan-coloured forehead and dark circular markings around his eyes. He identified himself as Bisuke.

"'Cause you would've been better, eh Raccoon Eyes?" barked Guruko.

Kakashi glared at them. "Oi, this is not the time. Naruto's losing control of himself, so we'd better stop him before we're all destroyed along with this fucking house!"

"What do you suppose we do, Kakashi? The chakra surrounding Naruto is preventing us from getting to him," Pakkun said.

"The chakra's protecting him from any direct attack but if Guruko and Akino pounce on him simultaneously from different directions, they might be able to break through. Pakkun, I need you to get Itachi and Shisui immediately. Bisuke, you're on standby, if this goes south inform Hokage-sama immediately."

"Hai," came their response before they each got into position. Pakkun left swiftly, Bisuke stood by the room's entrance, his feet ready to run should anything go wrong. Akino and Guruko crept carefully on either side of Naruto. All that was needed was Kakashi's signal.

"Naruto, please just listen. I need you to calm down."

"Kashi-nii, it hurts! I don't like it, make it stop," Naruto wailed.

"What hurts Naruto?" Kakashi lifted his hand slightly.

_Wait for it, any moment now._

"My tummy, it's burning. Make it stop, Kashi-nii, make it stop!"

"I will Naru-chan, I will. Just calm down, I'm going to walk towards you, but you can't push me away. Naru-chan, trust me." Slowly, he started to inch closer to Naruto.

_Now!_

Naruto looked up at him, his face stricken with tears. He pouted but nodded, nonetheless. Kakashi let his hand fall and the dogs pounced on Naruto, careful not to hurt him. The chakra subsided and finally, Kakashi was able to reach him. The child thrashed about from under the dogs' grip, but his movements slowed and became less. Kakashi kneeled next to him and placed a hand on his forehead wet from sweat.

"It's okay now, Naru-chan. Close your eyes, you're feeling tired. When you wake up, the bad feeling will go away."

"Kashi-nii, my tummy hurts. Make it stop," Naruto pleaded. Kakashi offered him a small smile and told the dogs to let go. They both mumbled a quiet, 'sorry' to Naruto and lowered their heads. He laid sprawled out on his back against the floor, unable to lift his arms high enough to pet them.

"Bisuke, go to one of the vendors in town, the one that sells the chazuke. Tell the owner to package a small meal for Naruto and the usual takeout I order. Get something else if you see anything you want, put it on my tab."

"Hai, Boss. Is Pup going to be okay?" Bisuke asked before he left.

"He's going to alright, used up too much energy is all." Kakashi rubbed Naruto's belly.

"Kashi-nii…" Naruto moaned. His eyes kept opening and closing but he was determined to stay awake.

"Kashi-nii, I'm sorry. Please don't throw me away. I don't wanna leave."

"Boss would never do that to you, Pup," Akino said.

"Yeah Pup, listen to Aki. A good cry makes you feel a lot better. Kakashi would know, he did it all the time with us and we never threw him away. Though he is annoying," Guruko added.

Kakashi rolled his eyes and put his mask back on. He adjusted his headband so that only his right eye was visible. _Pakkun should be back with Itachi and Shisui soon_.

"What they're trying to say is that we'll never leave you or hurt you. I know you don't always trust me Naruto, I do lie a lot, but I don't want to anymore. There're so many things I want to tell you, but you're not old enough to understand it right now. I really do love you Naruto and I promise that the Hokage will never keep me away from you. We're family now, and we always will be."

Naruto gave him one last smile before falling asleep. "Kay, Kashi-nii."

Kakashi picked him up and carried him to his room, Guruko and Akino trailing behind. He tucked Naruto in bed and left only one thin sheet on him. Leaning over to brush his hair away, Kakashi placed a small kiss on his forehead. Guruko sniggered before Akino hit him with his paw.

"Guru and I'll stay with Pup. Boss, you go to the living room so long. Clear your head, good things came out of what happened."

"Like what, Aki? It's not even noon yet and Naruto's already had a tantrum that nearly resulted in him losing control of the Kyuubi. Everything's been a mess since I came up with that damned plan," Kakashi said.

"Boss had this not happened you wouldn't have known the capabilities of the Kyuubi's strength within Pup. We can now learn ways to control and enhance his chakra as he grows. And Boss, your feelings were conveyed to each other. Pup will trust you with his fears and you will finally learn to be truthful."

Kakashi and Guruko gaped at Akino.

"Whoa, Aki. When did you become so sage-like?" Akino turned his face away from them.

"Sh-shut up, Guru. Not everyone's as blunt as you and Bisuke. Speaking of, Boss, Pakkun's here."

"Right." Kakashi stood up and gave both his dogs head scratches. "Arigato, Aki. Call immediately when Pup wakes up."

He was exhausted to say the least; the past three days felt like years to him. It had been one disaster after another and Kakashi was drained. _Man, when all this is over, I'm taking a two-week trip to Yugakure. Nothing heals the soul like a hot spring._

"Taicho!" Itachi's voice interrupted his thoughts. "Where's Naruto, is he okay?"

"Sleeping in his room, has stomach cramps though, probably from using the Kyuubi's chakra. Pakkun did tell you guys everything on the way, right?" Kakashi said and gave the dog a pointed look. He knew that Pakkun would conveniently leave out the finer details when it came to informing people of the situation.

Pakkun scoffed, "Of course I did, Kakashi, right to the tee. I'll be joining Aki and Guru in keeping watch over Pup, assuming you no longer need me of course." He didn't wait for a reply.

"Kakashi-san, if Naruto nearly lost control of the Kyuubi, it would be best if Hokage-sama was informed of this. Itachi and I can't do much, if I'm assuming correctly about how you plan on using us," Shisui said.

Kakashi shook his head. "It's a lot more complicated than that, Shisui-kun. I think it's better if we take this to the garden. Kami knows I need fresh air right now."

"Hai, Taicho. I also brought strawberries for Naruto; it was just picked earlier today. Do you suppose I could leave it in the kitchen for him to eat later?"

"Feel free and make matcha while you're in there."

* * *

Kakashi felt that it was ironic, the entire situation. Had someone told him three months ago that he would be raising his dead sensei's kid, all the while trying to diffuse a bomb that would tear the village apart, he would have laughed in their face. In reality, he was standing on his porch, breathing in deeply to try and grasp just what exactly was going on in his life right now.

"Kakashi-san, we can't use our sharingan eyes on Naruto. The Kyuubi won't respond to our calls unless he either takes over completely or we break into Naruto's mind. The latter is obviously the safer option, but we risk him losing his sanity in process. Especially because of his age."

"I know. The responsible thing to do is to let the hokage know what's going on, I just- I just can't let that happen. He'll take Naruto away or find some excuse for me to lose custody, Danzo might find out too. Doing the responsible thing right now will only backfire on us."

"You'd rather go against your duty as a ninja of the Leaf for his sake, right? I won't judge, Kakashi-san. Itachi and I are in the same position with our clan. Just know that should whatever you're planning go wrong, we won't take any responsibility."

Kakashi let out a small laugh and nudged Shisui's shoulder slightly. "You don't have to speak so formally with me, Shisui-kun. I told Itachi this before, so I hope this gets through to you. Shisui, you're barely thirteen, so stop holding the weight of the world on your shoulders. I know your clan's putting pressure on you to choose a side, but that's why me and Obito are here, ya'know."

Shisui flinched slightly at Kakashi's behaviour but thanked him either way, "Arigato, Kakashi-san. Though shouldn't I be the one offering comforting words in this case. This somehow feels cheap."

Kakashi shrugged. "You're probably right. Aaah- Itachi finally, I started to get annoyed by your cousin already!"

Itachi gave Shisui a look of sympathy as he handed Shisui his tea from the he was carrying. "You just haven't spent enough time with him yet. Taicho gets worse but you learn to live with it."

Shisui nodded dumbly. _I'll never understand these two, or their ANBU team for that matter._

Itachi sat down and beckoned for the other two to do so as well. "Back to the matter at hand, Taicho, what are we going to do about Naruto?"

"I could probably use my influence around Konoha to ask one of the medics in ANBU or doctors to look at Naruto's condition but they'll report it to the hokage or word will spread about Naruto being the Kyuubi's reincarnate, judging by how superstitious this village can be. So, I want you guys to look at him, specifically the amount of chakra he's emitting. Usually it's extremely low, but this morning it was probably the amount of a mid-to-high level chunin."

"If it had been any higher, Kakashi-san, Naruto would've have exhausted himself too much. His body's too frail to handle any amount higher than a genin. It's a miracle that he didn't need to go to the hospital already. Did something happen to spike his energy reserves?" Shisui asked.

Kakashi was silent for a moment. "I asked him about his past. Apparently, he lived in two homes already, one used to beat him while the starved and kicked him out. Might also be the reason why I don't want the hokage to know about this, I don't think I'll be able to control myself."

"So, he threw a tantrum afterwards, it was well deserved though. Taicho you should have more tact when dealing with things like this," Itachi said and gave Kakashi a disappointed look.

"Oi, not everyone happens to have the natural ability to handle children or a calming presence. I can barely handle Rou when you're not around, Itachi."

Shisui rolled his eyes and snorted. "Acting composed is probably the only social skill this guy has. But he is right, Kakashi-san. It wouldn't have happened if you handled yourself better, you probably said something along the lines of 'Just because I can't do it now, doesn't mean I won't', wait-" he paused to look at Kakashi, whose cheekbones were dusted a slight pink.

"You actually said something like that? He's three, how was he supposed to understand something like that, hell I can't even understand it myself!"

Itachi leaned over across Kakashi to whisper loudly to Shisui, "This is probably the reason why Naruto's so dense. All this time we thought is Obito-san influencing him. Ow!"

Kakashi hit Itachi over the head and lightly punched Shisui for snickering. "I'm glad you two find this funny but in case you've forgotten, Naruto almost lost control over the Kyuubi's chakra!"

"We're trying to lighten the mood the way you do, Taicho. Anyway, I'm starting to see where you're going with this. You want Shisui and I to check on him and give you advice on how to train him to control it, without him noticing of course."

Shisui drank from his tea and sighed, gaining the attention of Itachi and Kakashi.

"It won't be that easy, Itachi. The reason why we, as Uchiha, have strong chakra control is because we're conditioned to hone it as soon as we are able to. The Uchiha have always had exceptional chakra reserves, with you being the exception. Kakashi-san, you probably haven't noticed it because Itachi makes up what he lacks with stamina and chakra with ability and speed. Naruto's a descendant of the Uzumaki, a clan with remarkable stamina. Chakra training would be easier had Naruto not been the Jinchuuriki because now he has the average amount of chakra a person would have and the hidden amount of chakra that the Kyuubi has. The only positive thing I can see from training Naruto would be that he wouldn't tire easily, though it can't be said for whoever is training him. He's already hyperactive."

"I had Rou teach him a few things in the form of games. It helped him save the Hyuuga princess from being kidnapped last night- it's a long story- but you know more than me about this, Shisui. There's a way moving forward from this, I know it, but how?" Kakashi asked him. He gave his empty cup to Itachi who sat quietly.

"It won't work out, no matter how many times I think about it," Shisui paused and took his thumb out of his mouth. He wiped his hand on his pants. He always hated that habit, chewing on his nails when he was in deep thought.

"Realistically speaking, the idea of training Naruto is far-fetched but it's more the way you're approaching it. Your method is training Naruto in the form of games, it's good but focus more on specific areas. When I first trained with Itachi, I wanted to improve his perception of battle. With Naruto, train his physical abilities rather than his chakra reserves. Once he's older, you can start but for now, you need to make sure that his emotionally stable. Also, can I get more matcha, my throat's dry from talking this much."

"Shisui," Kakashi said slowly, "Forget what I said earlier. I don't believe you're an actually thirteen, maybe you're an old man in child's body?"

"Taicho, your ability to change topics so nonchalantly is admirable. We should check Naruto and see how he's doing. Pass your cup, Shisui, I'll take it inside." He passed his cup to Itachi, who left for the kitchen.

Kakashi turned around to see when Itachi would be out of earshot. He ruffled a surprised Shisui's hair and hooked his arm around his neck to bring him closer. "Don't tell Itachi I said this, but you're my favourite after Naruto. There's dango I bought for Itachi in the fridge. You can have it if you want."

Shisui awkwardly detached himself from Kakashi's grip. "Arigato, I guess. There's ways to thank a person without being so weird about it, you know."

"That is true. I'm also not joking about it, if you're curious. I have a hierarchy for the people I surround myself with. Naruto's first, then it was Itachi, he's bumped down to third now. The rest of Rou's positioning always changes depending on who annoys me the most and then its Obito, right at the bottom."

"Obito-san is at the bottom, isn't he your best friend?"

Kakashi got up and straightened his clothes. "Please, that moron gave himself the title. Let's go inside."

* * *

"Well… how is he, Itachi-kun? Will Pup be alright, huh?"

"Relax, Guruko. Naruto is sleeping not dying. And you do realise that I'm not a doctor or medic, I'm literally ten."

Guruko huffed and Akino gave him another hit. Getting up from his kneeling position against Naruto's bed, Itachi glanced at Shisui.

"I feel it too," he said. "Kakashi-san, his chakra's gradually going down. It'll be a while before he wakes up but his chakra emission will most likely be back to normal by then."

"I see. You guys can leave if want then, Bisuke still hasn't got here with lunch, but you're welcomed to stay," Kakashi said.

Itachi shook his head. "That will be fine, Taicho. I promised Kaa-san I would be in time for lunch and Shisui's coming with."

"I am? I mean, yeah, sure," Shisui said quickly after noticing the small glare he got from Itachi.

"We will be going then and Taicho," Itachi narrowed his eyes at Kakashi who stood on the opposite side of the bed along with his cousin.

"You underestimate my hearing abilities when dango is mentioned. I heard your conversation and although I am flattered to be third, I will be taking the dango as Shisui doesn't deserve it. Shisui, we are officially rivals from today onwards."

Shisui looked dumbfounded. "Is this about the dango or second place?"

Itachi's voice went an octave lower, "Both."

With that he left the room after bidding farewell. Shisui, slightly frightened at his friend's sudden declaration of rivalry, followed.

Shaking his head at whatever just happened, Kakashi turned his attention to the dogs. "Any of you know what could be keeping Bis so long?"

"You did say that Raccoon Eyes could buy whatever if he sees something he likes," Guruko pointed out.

"No, not even Bis would act so leisurely after what happened to Pup. Kakashi should I go look for him?" Pakkun asked.

"I don't know. Akino you're always pinpointing each other's location when you guys are separated. Don't you know where he is?"

"He definitely didn't leave the village, but other than that no. Gomen, Boss," Akino said.

_Something better had not happened. The last thing I need now is a more disastrous situation sneaking up on me._

Snapping him out of his thoughts was Bisuke's loud barking. Recognizing that bark as an alarming one, Kakashi and the dogs ran out of the room immediately, apart from Pakkun who opted to stay with Naruto.

"Bisuke! What's going on and why did you take so long?" Kakashi shouted at him but regretted it immediately once he saw Bisuke's disorderly and panting form. The bagged lunch laid forgotten on the floor; pieces of plastic were stuck in Bisuke's teeth. The dog looked at his master and teammates with wide eyes.

"Boss this is bad. Fu-Fugaku Uchiha's team's been attacked. I saw one of their-their members being escorted to the Hokage Tower, so I followed them after the vendor gave the lunch. When I got to the hokage's office the briefing was almost over, but I managed to hear a couple of things." He paused and gave Kakashi a despairing look.

"Whoever attacked Fugaku's team knows about Konoha's weapon, whatever that means. Suna was also mentioned and when these 'weapons' reach the age of maturity, a war's going to start. Freaky thing is, they even know about the Uchiha's state. The messenger said it by accident and corrected himself, but I heard it. Boss, what does this all mean?"

It was like time itself was frozen as the ninja stood still, not moving a muscle. Kakashi couldn't, no, he refused to believe it. All of this was classified information, only a select few knew about it, hell he could even count on his fingers the amount of people that could possibly know. There was no way that an outsider was able to obtain such invaluable information without having an inside man…unless they themselves were once a part of the system.

"Kakashi, what's going on?"

But he chose to ignore Guruko's question and instead asked Bisuke quietly "Are you certain about what you heard. If this is your idea of a joke, I swear I'll cancel our contract right now."

Bisuke was taken aback. "What? Of course not, Boss! I swear that's what I heard; it wasn't exactly like that but still… it's pretty much the same." He sat down and lifted a front paw up. "It's all true, Kakashi. Shinobi's honour."

"Damn it!" Kakashi screamed, "This can't be happening!"

Akino leaned his paws against Kakashi's legs. "Boss, tell us what's going on."

He looked down and then at Guruko and Bisuke. Kakashi let out a frustrated sigh and laughed humourlessly.

"What going on Akino is that Naruto's Konoha's 'secret weapon' and that Suna has a jinchuuriki of their own. Once they become mature, the enemy, whoever the fuck they are, is going to start a war. What's worse is that they know all this, meaning there's a traitor in the Village."

Had someone told him three months ago that he would not only be raising his dead sensei's kid, trying to stop Konoha's most distinguished clan from going to war with the rest of the Village, all the while trying to prevent his own death in the fray, but also be inadvertently involved in a terrorist's declaration of war, he would have laughed in their face and decked them for making a senseless joke.

In reality, he was standing in his living room, three dogs staring worriedly at him while he laughed wildly at irony of how a ninja who wanted to die more than anything just three months ago, now wants to live and save the lives of others. How shameless.


	19. Time for an adventure, Team Rou

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was mainly to update what Hiruzen's thinking, Itachi's growing concern on who he is as a person and most importantly, their feelings as a team. Although Naruto is the main character, I feel that the others need to have some background and motivation. After this, the plan to stop the coup will be addressed, then the council meeting concerning Naruto's adoption will take place and finally, the whole Uchiha arc will happen. Will Itachi be influenced by Danzo, will Shisui survive, just what will happen to Sasuke? On a side note, how do you feel about me adding some Naruto/Hinata moments... as friends of course considering they're literally three. Please feel free to offer any suggestions, ideas, theories or questions.
> 
> Last thing to note: I'm planning on writing a compilation of one shots so you're welcome to request. I'm open to write about Naruhina (that's the only romantic pairing I will do but platonic ships are more than welcome), Itachi/Sasuke moments, anything to do with this story's universe and AUs or canon compliant. (^O^)

Life in Konoha was never quiet, it was always one thing or the other and today was no exception. Hiruzen Sarutobi wished he had his pipe on him as he was in desperate need for a smoke. The day had been a disaster to say the least. He dealt with an anxious Uchiha who came to inform him of his team's dire situation and the encounter with the suspicious ninja they were sent to investigate and capture. Though the possibility of that happening was considerably low; Fugaku's team was attacked and threatened with a secret that shouldn't be known to any outsiders.

Hiruzen noticed the ninja, Inabi Uchiha, slip up when reporting the situation, there was something he wasn't being told and it was about their clan. He turned a blind eye to it, it wasn't as though he was oblivious of their plans on a coup, but the matter most important was finding the remaining members of Fugaku's team. He sent the ninja away to Konoha Hospital, he was in no shape to be moving around any further what with his depleting chakra from running all the way back and his anxiety for his team's wellbeing attacking him. Hiruzen assured him that a recon group would be sent immediately but also warned him not to tell anyone else about what had happened, his tone was callous to ensure that Inabi knew that there would be consequences for any disobedience.

Luckily, it was only him in that office and no Danzo or advisor in sight, so no one else except the two ninja guards who escorted Inabi knew about the situation.

"Izumo, you will take Uchiha-san to the hospital. Kotetsu, remain here. I assume you both realise what would happen should you mention anything outside these walls?" he told the guards.

"H-hai, Hokage-sama!" they said in unison. He noticed Izumo gulp, he didn't like the idea of instilling fear in his subordinates but at times it was necessary.

"Good."

Once Izumo left with Inabi, he looked piercingly at Kotetsu. "Kotetsu, you will do this with the utmost of urgency. All of Team Rou's members, whether they complain or not, are to be here within the next half an hour, geared and masked. Inform only Tenzou of the mission. I am giving you permission to only repeat what you heard to him. Kakashi will be the last member you gather. Are we clear?"

Kotetsu avoided his serious gaze but answered nonetheless, "Crystal, Hokage-sama."

"Leave at once."

Without missing a beat, Kotetsu departed at once with a pop, his shunshin leaving a small cloud of dust. Hiruzen got up from his seat and moved to look out the window. It always calmed him, the view of the village. It was peaceful and he would crush any enemy wanting to destroy that peace. He knew that the villagers were far from the perfect civilians they viewed themselves as and it was clear from the way they treated the ninjas who didn't fit their idea of a model soldier, but they were still a part of Konoha and by extension, him.

He knew that Kakashi would be fretting now, he sensed that one of Kakashi's dogs were outside his door listening in. The reason why Kotetsu would tell him about the mission last was so that he could gather himself. He hadn't been on a serious mission, not since he found Naruto. Hiruzen thought he was doing the man a favour, Kakashi would need time to bond with the child and it would be near impossible to do that whilst still being active on the field. Kakashi did small missions, he was a still ninja in the end, but duty was calling. As Hiruzen, he was glad that the troubled young man finally found a life outside assassinations and missions, but as hokage, he was worried that his best operative was out of practice.

The last thing he needed- no, the last thing the village needed- was one of their best going soft. Being a ninja didn't mean losing your sense of humanity, it meant knowing and controlling when you would use your moral compass, however it was a different story for the ANBU. Their field of work required people who could draw the fine line between normality and abnormality. They needed to be able to switch at any given moment and control themselves with utmost care, lest they take it a step too far. ANBU was not a place for the faint hearted, nor was it a place for the cold-blooded. That was ROOT.

Team Rou fit that mould perfectly. Never in all his years as hokage had he seen a team so lost yet determined. He supposed it was their trust in each other and the hope that at the end of their journey together that they would finally find what they were looking for that kept them sane, or at least sane enough. They were the elite squad for reason; unlike most teams, they cared about each other more than the tasks assigned to them.

But what if Kakashi already found what he was looking for, what would happen then? Hiruzen hated where his thoughts were going. He hated having to swap between being the hokage of a village and an old man who loved and trusted too dearly. His time was coming to an end and this could possibly be the catalyst.

_To suppress your chakra enough so that not even Fugaku Uchiha would notice, it's hard to believe. Perhaps the enemy was not a ninja? No, that wouldn't be possible, even civilians who aren't trained release some amount of chakra. The case where it doesn't happen is too rare. The word 'we' was used, so it's most likely an organisation, their acts are far too dangerous for even a competing village to use. Though Kumo and Iwa had always been a problem for the Leaf; last night proved that. The weapons are no doubt referring to our and Suna's jinchuuriki, but for them to know this… An inside man might be the answer but it's too simple, if they know of two villages' secrets then they must know of the others' as well._

_Suna was mentioned for a reason, they must be like us in some way. Don't tell me the age of maturity is referring to the Junchuurikis themselves! That means that they have also sealed a tailed beast in a child, but why would they? Three years ago, Naruto was born…Konoha was attacked…Master's blood…war…No! I must be wrong. It's impossible, they're both loyal ninjas and weren't involved in the attack at all. For the woman to be her- it can't be._

Hiruzen shook his head. "These thoughts are dangerous. Minato, I wish you were here. None of this would have happened if you were Hokage, especially with Kushina-chan by your side. Your boys are growing, I'm sure you would be proud. Watch over us, Minato. We need your guidance now more than ever. What would you have done if you were here? I won't fail you again, none of us will. Naruto will be safe, and I'll do whatever it takes to make that happen," he said out loud.

Looking closer at the window, he could see a group of children playing in the streets. The will of fire will be passed on to them like it was passed on to him. Konoha may not be innocent, it was a village built on bloodshed and betrayal, but peace was achieved and it would stay. The will to protect and preserve, to never give up and strive to achieve greatness, that was the will of fire and that was Konoha. What set them apart from other villages was not strength but the desire to be the best in every possible way.

Hiruzen Sarutobi had many regrets, too many to count, but the one thing he was sure of: he was a proud ninja of the Leaf and no one could take that pride away from him.

"Just you watch. We'll crush you like we crushed all our enemies. Perhaps we are in the wrong and perhaps we are the true enemies but do not take us for fools. Konoha will come out as top and nothing will stop us."

* * *

Hayate was pissed and that was an understatement. He didn't usually get angry, annoyed maybe, but angry? Not so much. The past three days had been hell, staying up late to figure out a plan to prevent a coup, getting kicked out from his own apartment by his fuming girlfriend, nearly having a heart attack from the stunt Naruto pulled the night before and now staying with Genma in what he was sure was a pig sty. Clothes scattered on the floor, dishes stacked on each other to form towers that should have fallen ages ago, the only neat thing in his apartment was his bedroom and bathroom and Hayate was not sleeping in either.

He never understood how this lazy slob could even be considered a lady's man. He began to think it was all a farce, all these 'conquests' he would brag about when Itachi wasn't around (he was still a kid at the end of the day) were probably just figments of his overactive imagination or a way to impress their perverted captain. No way would anyone want to spend a night in this hell. Then again, Genma probably cleaned the place up and was just too lazy to offer his friend the same hospitality he offered the oh-so-lucky ladies of the Village.

Hayate treasured Genma as a friend, though they weren't close during their school days, they were brothers now, comrades-in-arms, however that did not mean he valued each and every aspect of him equally. Much like Raidou, Genma was infuriating once bored. He would do anything in his power to satisfy that feeling, including receiving a beating from either Kakashi or Tenzou.

" _Taicho will get over it, Hayate. Besides, it's not like he would actually kill us," Genma would tell him after his and Raidou's usual escapades._

" _Taicho wouldn't, but Tenzou might. You emptied his fridge! You know how he gets."_

" _Geez, just calm down and live a little. Tenzou needs a diet anyway, he's been snacking on those daifuku for way too long. Next thing ya know, Tenzou'll have a pot belly and we'll be carrying him around on missions. We're just doing this for the team, Hayate."_

Sure enough, Hayate was left with the duty of tending to Genma and Raidou's 'mortal' wounds as they put it after their vice-captain, in Raidou's words, "Beat the living crap outta us!". He didn't feel the need to say he told them so because the same thing would happen again. And again.

Although he was in a sour mood, he chuckled at the memory. His team was strange, that's for sure.

Genma was still sleeping, despite it being afternoon, and as much as he would love to do the same, he found himself unable to. One, the only place to sleep on was a ratty old couch that was beyond uncomfortable, he would know, he spent the night there after all. Two, he was forced to answer the incessant knocking on the apartment's door that Genma was too out of it to hear.

Kicking himself off the couch he detested, he attempted to make himself presentable. He slept in the underclothing of his uniform, deciding that only an idiot would choose to sleep in the metal guards and grey flak jacket that made up the standard ANBU attire (he had once been that idiot in the beginning of his career and has since learnt from it). Once it became apparent that his hair would not stay down no matter how hard he pressed it flat with his hand wet with saliva, he groaned and timorously sniffed his hand and gagged. His morning breath was terrible.

He wiped his hand on his wrinkled black vest and pulled the layer of clothing off. He bent down and picked up Genma's identical vest from the floor and carefully brought it to his nose. _Smells fine, I guess. Turns out not all his clothes are dirty. It's a good thing we're the same size too._

He shrugged it on and pulled his pants higher, fixing his socks with his feet at the same time. The knocking didn't stop, it became more frequent and begrudgingly, he made his way to the door.

"I'm coming alright! Stop fucking knocking!" he shouted, surprising himself with his use of a profanity. Then, as if to spite him further, he began to cough rather violently. _Can this day get any worse?_ And when he answered his door to find a frantic Tenzou looking at him with slightly widened eyes and a ninja he recognised as his kouhai from when he was still a student with his hand still in the air from his knocking, he found an answer to his thoughts.

"Mission or Rou?" he asked. He had a feeling that it was the former but with how his teammates tended to act, the possibility of an emergency team meeting wasn't low. Team Rou wasn't above dropping everything on their off days to console a breaking member. They broke down often; the pressure of their duties was sometimes too much to bear and intervention was needed otherwise nothing would stop them from doing something regretful. Things quietened down after Naruto came into the picture, his innocence was like a relief to them, but Hayate knew not to take anything for granted.

He could still remember the long hours spent convincing Tenzou that he was not a monster, that just because he had a rare gift as the result of an experiment done by a cruel man, it didn't make him any less human. It was heart-breaking, listening to his strong friend crying, screaming, begging to be released, because he knew that feeling all too well. Hayate liked to think that he was past the age of worrying about what his parents thought of him, if they loved him, and long past the boyhood trials of having a girlfriend. Turns out, he was not. The guilt, he thought, felt even worse. Having to look a child half his size in the eyes after said child had to sneak away from home in the dead of night because his father would surely force him to go back to bed and have his teammate reported, all because he didn't want to live anymore. Itachi didn't deserve to hear it, but he was such a great listener and for that, Hayate would always be grateful.

"Both, Hayate. We need to go now. Wake Genma up, get your mask and gear, we meet at Hokage-sama's office. I'm going with Kotetsu to get Senpai, please tell the rest of the team," Tenzou said.

Hayate felt there was no need to respond and nodded instead. Tenzou gave him a look of appreciation and he and Kotetsu left. Hayate balled his fists at his side, if he was angry before, he was livid now. A new threat appeared, one that dared to intervene with his village and nakama. Enemy nin were a piece of cake, he couldn't care less about what happened to them. They wanted to mess with Konoha so it was only proper that they got punished. But this? This was personal. Team Rou was his family and he would bring hell to whoever tried to harm them.

From the look in Tenzou's eyes, Hayate knew that this was no ordinary mission, Kotarou-Kosuke- or whatever his name was, was there too. Something was big happening and he didn't like the sound of it. He already had the Uchiha's coup and Kakashi's death to worry about, this was not needed.

Coughing slightly and breathing in deep he shouted, "Genma! Get your ass up. We've got a mission and one of us is in trouble. Kami help me if you're not up in the next minute!"

He smirked uncharacteristically when Genma appeared from out his bedroom, clad in only his boxers, barefoot and hair somehow spared from disaster. There were remnants of sleep in the corners of his eyes, but he looked alert. More awake than ever, he stifled a yawn and brought his arms behind his head and puffed his shirtless chest to stretch. He rolled his shoulders, ignoring the cracks he heard from his stiff muscles and gave Hayate an expression to match his.

"Some bastard's tryna mess with Rou, eh? Gimme five minutes, I'll be ready then. Man, and I thought last night was a blast, kicking Kumo's ass. Whoever this bastard is, he'd better be prepared for the beating of his life!" Genma said and he meant it.

No one messes with Team Rou, not when a team's as nihilistic, loyal, and insane as they were. They were a package deal and followed the cringey saying of "You mess with one of us, you mess with all of us!" Raidou earned a smack on his head from Itachi when he said that at one of the team's mission briefing. Though they all knew that their team would do anything, no matter how sinful, to follow that thought.

* * *

"I see, so that's how it is. I will be there soon, no need to wait for me," Itachi said.

He had just sat down after arriving home with Shisui when he sensed the flaring chakra signature of Raido Namiashi outside his home. He could tell by the look on his mother's face, she was a formidable ninja herself before settling down, that she noticed it as well. Unfortunately, he would not be having lunch within the comfort of his home that day. Itachi gently moved Sasuke off his lap and upon the child's whine, Mikoto quickly reprimanded him to give Itachi an opening to leave before his little brother could tag along.

He answered the door and listened unsurprised to the details of the mission. Something always had to go wrong in the lives of the members of Team Rou.

"Are you sure? I don't mind waiting, ya'know," Raidou asked and Itachi shook his head.

"I need to explain to Sasuke and if he sees you, it will take longer. I'll be at Hokage-sama's office as soon as I can."

Raidou gave him a small smile. He knew Sasuke was extremely fond of Itachi, he witnessed it himself and the boy was only a baby then.

"Sure, I'll leave so long then."

Itachi sighed after his departure. First Naruto and now this? He hated how eventful his life was starting to become, as if it wasn't troubling enough before the blond chibi came into the picture. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, he needed to gather himself. This mission wasn't like the others and he could tell by the urgency in Raidou's voice. Usually, his friend would always complain about having to leave the village or he made it his job to be the last to arrive, saying that it was too 'boring' or that his life needed more excitement. This time, however, there was no playfulness laced in his tone. Itachi found it almost chilling how Raidou was behaving.

_Breathe, Itachi. You heard him, Rou is in trouble…someone's trying to mess with your team, and you need to stop them._

He relaxed his shoulders and walked back to the dining area. Sasuke was pouting at Shisui and it pained him that he would need to leave his brother again.

"Kaa-san, a mission came up. It's an emergency by the looks of it, so I'll have to skip lunch."

Mikoto gave him a sympathetic smile. "That's alright Ita-chan, just be careful."

He was grateful that his mother didn't pry any further. It was difficult keeping his anger in, he was a calm and collected person and barely anything fazed him but now, his family was on the line. Team Rou had always been his support, he could tell them what he couldn't tell Shisui or his mother because although they tried their best to understand him, Rou was perfectly in tune with him. They knew what it was like to be exploited, to be so powerful yet always be at the mercy of someone else. He was a proud Uchiha and loved his clan, but he resented those who sought to wreak havoc because of their own selfish desires.

He saw the look his father gave him, a pained smile forced onto his face because he feared how his son's future would turn out. Itachi was perceptive, but he often wished that he was more like children his own age. He wondered what it would be like to be unaware of the world's horrors, to run around playing instead of training, he wished to feel what it was like to not kill. He never understood what made him different from those considered murderers or criminals. Just because he did it in the name of justice didn't make him any different. He ended another's life and no matter how noble the cause was, someone died because of him.

"Nii-san, you're leaving?" Sasuke asked and walked over to him. "You promised to play with me today!"

Itachi bent down to his level and smiled. "I'm sorry Sasuke. Next time, okay?" He used three of his fingers to softly poke Sasuke's forehead but that didn't stop the tears from building up.

Before Sasuke could throw a tantrum, Shisui got up from his seat at the dining table and tried to pull him away from Itachi. "Ne, ne Sasuke! How about I play with you today and you can play all you want with your Nii-san tomorrow?"

In true Uchiha fashion, Sasuke glared threateningly at Shisui and mustered all his strength to elbow him in the ribs. He huffed and ran to his room, making sure his cries were heard. Mikoto sighed at the sight, being the mother of two gifted and stubborn children was tough. She walked over to them and helped Shisui get up, her oldest was still in shock after witnessing his cute and innocent baby brother act so violently towards another person. She almost snorted if only he knew what she had to go through when he or their father wasn't around.

"Yep, I'm definitely not having any children," Shisui groaned and clutched his side.

"Oh man up, Shisui-kun. I'm sure you've felt worse than my three-year-old's hook," Mikoto told him. She loved Shisui, truly, but he could be so dramatic at times.

"Kaa-san, I-"

Mikoto lifted her hand. "Ita-chan, your mission is important. Sasuke will get over it, he's just doing this for attention-" Her eye twitched when Sasuke's cries conveniently got louder, "Point is, you need to go. I'll handle everything here, so go make me proud."

Itachi lowered his head and Mikoto felt her heart swell. Her baby boy could be so respectful, if only her other son could give her the same treatment. He went to his room at once, wasting no time to prepare himself for whatever he could be facing.

Before he left the house, something caught his eye. It was a crumpled piece of paper lying next to his futon. He found it strange as his room was always meticulous. Perhaps it was the way he was raised but the sight of any dirt instantly made his skin crawl. He pondered over it for a few seconds, surely it wouldn't waste that much time. After all he would just pick it up, check its content and throw it in the trash if it wasn't anything of importance, yet for some reason he couldn't shake the dark feeling he felt in his gut.

He groaned in annoyance. Really, he was an ANBU ninja and an Uchiha to boot, what was he doing fretting over a small piece of paper? He picked it and scanned what was written on it. Itachi widened his eyes. No, it couldn't be, this had to be some trick.

 _But it's written perfectly in Genma-san's handwriting. How could it possibly be a trick?_ a dark part of his mind whispered to him.

 _They would have told me!_ he countered back, _I'm part of Team Rou as well. They would never do this and Taicho would never betray my trust._

 _If that's so then how do you explain what's written in clear black and white, huh Itachi?! You did this, you caused this, you were a fool to trust a man like Kakashi Hatake to keep your secrets when you know his past. Obito-san must be in on it as well, after all he must hate the Uchihas after what we did to him. Selling him short because he saved another's life. Maybe this is all fate…_ the voice said.

 _Don't speak of what you don't know. You're just the back part of my mind, the childish and irrational part that's too terrified to face reality. I may be a child, but I won't be duped by fear. I'll ask them myself, once this mission is over I'll prove you wrong,_ Itachi said and crumpled the paper once more. He placed it in his jacket pocket and walked to his door, grabbing his katana on the way out.

This mission was his priority now, the message written on that paper would have to wait. He knew his captain well and he knew his team. For now, he would accept the challenge presented to him and pummel any foe who dared interrupted his peace. Team Rou was not the Uchiha, they didn't view him as an opportunity to get back at the village that humiliated them. They saw him as a person suffering just as much as them.

Once he put on his porcelain mask he was no longer Itachi Uchiha, a young boy bound by the strict rules of his clan and weighed down by their expectations. He was Weasel, esteemed member of the infamous and elite ANBU squad. Hell was going to be brought down on two people: whoever dared to threaten his teammates and the one who tried to trick him into believing his friends were bent on betraying him. Nothing would convince him to do otherwise.

* * *

Tensions were high in the Sandaime's office. Five of the six members of Team Rou stood side-by-side, mask on, hands behind their back. Their captain stood in front of his superior's desk and although his face could not be seen, his killer intent spoke for him.

Raidou for once kept his mouth shut, there were no snarky comments or complaints coming out. Genma's hands twitched behind him, they were aching to take a senbon out of his pouch and place it in his mouth. The excitement of a new assignment bubbled inside of him and he felt as though the sharp metal object just needed to be placed in his mouth. Hayate tried and failed to keep his breathing steady. Every so often a cough would be heard, so he thanked his lucky stars that his face was covered since it was tinted rose. This was a serious situation and here he was making loud sounds, curse his health. Itachi tilted his head slightly to observe Tenzou. It became a habit, gazing at the older man during mission briefings. It always fascinated him how the ninja would stand so still and not move a muscle. For this reason, he believed that Tenzou being able to use a ninja art that manipulated wood was quite fitting.

Tenzou noticed Itachi's staring and jabbed him with his elbow. _Focus_ , was the his silent message.

"I take it that both you and Deer are aware of the severity of this situation, yes? Then I trust you, Inu, to take this mission seriously and control your team. There is no telling what the mission will entail but I expect you all to be back within the next two to three days. No exceptions," the hokage said to Kakashi.

"Hai."

"Good. As for the rest of you, this will be handled with professionalism. I do not care about your opinion on this matter, you are ANBU. You are invisible, you live within the shadows and you do not have feelings on the battlefield."

Hiruzen took their silence as an agreement. He clasped his hands together and placed them in front of him on his desk. His hood was lowered so that the top portion of his face could not be seen.

"The reason I have chosen this squad is not only because of your merits but also because of the involvement each of you have with this case. You may not know it, but the simple fact that you are part of each other's lives puts every one of you in a vulnerable position. A village secret that not many know of has been compromised and to make matters worse, this person or organisation, as I believe it to be, has uncovered a similar secret in Sunagakure. Typically, it would be assumed that this is the work of an inside man, a traitor so to say, but since two villages have been affected, the answer cannot be so simple.

"A team was sent out to investigate the sighting of what was believed to be a rogue Konoha ninja and his strange companion. This team was being watched by these ninjas and though it's still unclear whether it was a rouge from the Leaf, it's been confirmed that the ninja is a masked woman and her companion goes by the name of 'Tobi'. He wears an orange spiral mask with one hole. You are not to engage with either if you see them. This matter will be investigated upon your return, so until then they will be given the temporary rank of S-Class ninja. Back to the matter at hand, the team, lead by Fugaku Uchiha-" he paused and looked at Itachi. There was no reaction and he was torn on whether to feel relieved or worried. "-had been attacked.

"The woman used a boy as her proxy to deliver a message and shortly thereafter, the boy unleashed power capable of putting the Uchiha group in jeopardy. Your mission is find the remaining members of their team, one was sent to inform me of their condition, and bring them back to Konoha," Hiruzen finished and lifted his head.

Raidou lifted his hand. "Hokage-sama, may I ask what the message was?"

Hiruzen shook his head. "If you wish to know then I will warn you that this information is sensitive. Should any of its content be known by anyone else, your punishment will be death."

Raidou laughed awkwardly. The curiosity of the message's details plagued him but he didn't want to anger his boss.

"With all due respect, Hokage-sama. My team should know, Deer has already heard it, and Weasel surely will at a later stage. Rou is already too involved, Hokage-sama, you said it yourself," Kakashi spoke up.

"I also said that I don't care about your opinion, Inu. You may be right in that regard but do try and remember that my word is the law. Team Rou, you depart immediately and Kakashi…I'll grant you permission to tell your team, in exchange you _will_ tell me what you know once this mission is over." He gave Kakashi a hard look and received a simple nod in return. He didn't mean for his words to be so harsh but he had to give the impression that he was not at all troubled by fact that an unknown enemy had him in a delicate spot.

The squad shunshined to Konoha's gates once their captain gave them the signal, his middle and index fingers lifted above his head and pointed to the right. At the gates, Itachi walked in front of Kakashi and stopped them. He somewhat bowed as if apologising for what he was doing.

"I think we all understand now what it means by one of our own is in trouble and as much as I appreciate everyone's concerns, I expect answers after this mission," he said.

"Huuhh, answers for what Weasel? You heard Hokage-sama, Taicho will tell us the message on our way."

"That's not what I meant, Frog. I'm referring to this unofficial mission of yours to prevent a coup. I trust that you did this with my best interests at heart, but Taicho I spoke to you in confidence. After we save my father and his team I want you to explain everything to me," Itachi finished and left the gates. He leapt up a tree and proceeded to run.

"Great, yet another mess. Rou, let's get this over and done with. Along the way, please think of excuses in case Weasel decides to lash out on us once we tell him the details of our plan," Kakashi said.

A collective groan was his answer. No emotion, no mission lost was what they said before each and every mission, though this time the hokage practically said it for them. They followed Itachi's suit, another dangerous adventure to be added to their ever growing list. No one mentioned it, but while they ran to catch up with their young teammate they all thought the same thing. Just how did Itachi find out?


	20. Things aren't so Simple Anymore

Deep within the forest and perched on the tallest of trees were six ninjas, separated into two groups, they made themselves comfortable on sturdy branches. They ate in silence, no one dared talk about the ominous feeling that lingered in the air. Team Rou's bellies growled, the rations they brought were meagre ; the journey they took was proving to be much more difficult than originally anticipated.

Days passed and they were still no closer to their goal than when they started. Today marked the third of their retrieval mission, it also marked their deadline. The sun seemed to be mocking them as the heat burned through the dark clothes they wore despite the leaves of the tree providing shade.

One member in particular sat dangerously close to the edge. He leaned forward, his small body swinging back and forth as his hands clutched tightly at his pants. There was a tap on his shoulder.

"Do it. I dare you."

Itachi looked up at his captain. "We were supposed to be back today."

"I know."

"Jumping won't kill me."

"I know."

"Is that all you're going to say to me?"

Kakashi took off his mask. "Of course not," he paused and looked back at Hayate who simply nodded. Hayate swiftly made his way to the tree's trunk and jumped joining the rest of their team.

"You're upset. You're angry at me, angry at the team and angry at yourself because it's been three days and we still haven't found your father or his squad. Not to mention that we're being followed."

Itachi deliberated for a moment, then with a sigh he said, "I'm not angry at you or Rou, Taicho. I'm angry at the fact that I'm so helpless that you had to plan behind my back to stop my family from revolting and I can't even save my own father."

"You're not helpless, Ita-chan. You just can't shoulder everything anymore. I betrayed you by telling Rou you're a spy and I'm responsible for us not completing the mission by today. So please for the love of Konoha stop staring at the ground like it's your best friend and take your anger out on me. Jumping won't kill you but it sure as hell will kill me."

Itachi took off his mask and yet again Kakashi found himself looking at something he wish he never got the honour to. Itachi was crying.

"Then tell me Taicho. Tell me why you went behind my back and plotted against something that has nothing to do with you!" Itachi shouted.

Kakashi was shocked to see his face red and tear stricken. Hesitantly he grabbed Itachi and held his small frame against his chest. He had only done it with Naruto and both times were a failure. Itachi didn't seem to mind though and clutched onto his Kakashi's jacket like it was his lifeline. Tears ran down his cheeks but the boy refused to make a sound.

A glare was sent as a warning to their teammates who looked at them with interest. Immediately, they turned their heads away. If looks could kill they would have been six feet under.

"Let it out, Ita-chan. Cry all you want we've got the time," Kakashi whispered. He was getting better at this, comforting another person in a way that didn't involve threats or bodily harm. His hand seemed to be moving on its own, rubbing Itachi's back until the shaking stopped and became whimpers.

"No, we don't Taicho. We don't have time. Our mission's behind and we're being tailed and-"

"And you need to calm down. ROOT's behind us and since they haven't engaged yet, I think it's safe to assume we have can finish our lunch in peace." Kakashi lifted Itachi up and wiped his tears off with his sleeve. "We'll save your father and his team; you have my word. For the meantime, I'll tell you everything you want to know."

Itachi nodded but pouted slightly. His red cheeks were no longer a result of his sadness but rather something more pathetic and childish…embarrassment.

He turned his head away making sure that neither Kakashi nor anyone else could see him. "Yeah, uh, you do that."

Kakashi coughed. No, he couldn't laugh, the situation was far too serious to acknowledge his junior's cuteness. "Where'd you want to me start?"

"The beginning."

* * *

_**Night before guard duty at the Hyuuga Estate** _

" _There's no way this is gonna work," Raidou grumbled and plopped himself back on the floor. He took the cup in his hand, tossing it up and catching it again._

" _Not with that attitude it won't." Raidou made to throw it at Genma but lowered his arm when he caught Tenzou glaring at him._

" _If you don't like the idea then why don't you suggest one yourself?" Tenzou seethed at him but yawned in the process._

_His fever had gone down slightly but annoyed mood and fatigue remained, how could it not have when the idiots he called friends refused to take anything seriously even though they were all pumped up when their meeting started. One was already passed out from drinking too much._

_Three hours had passed since Kakashi's stunning revelation, yet they still achieved nothing. The ninja himself seemed unconcerned about the entire situation, despite having the most to lose, and chose to pluck at his bandages while sitting in his armchair. Hayate handed the dressings to him after his skirmish with Tenzou ended with him being slightly injured._

" _Senpai are you not going to say anything?"_

" _At this point Tenzou, I honestly don't care anymore. This freaking disease can just end me already."_

_The cup ended hitting Kakashi square in the face and the pen that Genma was writing with barely missed his eye._

" _It was a joke."_

" _And it wasn't funny. You should be taking this seriously Taicho, we haven't made any progress at all and weren't you the one that insisted we do this anyway?" Kakashi knew Genma was right, the crumpled-up papers scattered all over the show was evident of that._

" _I know, I know. This is just taking way longer than I expected. What have we got so far- apart from kidnapping Itachi or negotiating with the Uchiha? They're not supposed to know we know, you know." Kakashi laughed at his joke but only received blank stares. He huffed, well it wasn't his fault they didn't appreciate his artistic humour._

_Tenzou cursed under his breath. "Senpai," he said after composing himself, "Do you really believe there's a way to save the Uchiha and the Village's prosperity? Neither would agree to anything unless they get what they want. With Danzo's hatred for them, there's no way they would get their status back."_

" _AHA!" Hayate shouted surprising everyone._

_All eyes turned to him. He was draped across the couch behind Genma and Hayate with his torso hanging over its top. His legs were in a frog-like position on the soft cushion. Ever so slowly, he lifted his head up, eyes clouded and cheeks tinged pink. Hayate giggled as he fell and nearly toppled over the side of the couch._

" _Hayate I swear to God if you start singing again-" Kakashi started his glare burning holes into Hayate but he ignored him, either out of defiance or his drunken state. It was difficult to tell at that point._

" _Nooo, you liisten here Tai-cho," Hayate slurred and manged to sit up straight. He used his finger to emphasize his words as he spoke._

" _What if we…what if we kill Danzo? Thiiink about iit, Danzo dies then boom! No more mizery-able old man to deal with. And-and we can tell Faguku and Hokage…Hokage-sama to make up then boom! No war. Hehe and Tai-cho you can get the Nara's to whisp you up a cure then boom! No die," he giggled once more before passing out face first on the floor right next to Genma._

_The room was silent._

_Genma poked Hayate's cheek. He's still alive so there's that, and at least he didn't attempt to the Ballad of Kunoichi Risa-san, he thought and shuddered at the memory of Hayate's singing voice. He made Naruto's whines seem angelic._

" _He's not wrong, you know. Killing Danzo's probably the best idea," Raidou said after a while._

 _Tenzou whacked him over the head._ " _Because committing treason is such a good idea."_

" _Hey, I never said it was a good one! But we could probably take him out if we tried, we are the best ANBU squad after all."_

_Before Tenzou could hit him again, Kakashi stood up and stretched his limbs. He walked over to Hayate and laid him properly on the couch. Acknowledging his teammates stares, he shrugged._

" _He's already going to wake up with a hangover leaving him to get back pain is just cruel. Besides, he does have a valid point."_

" _Please tell me you're not actually considering murder, Senpai."_

_"Please tell me you are." Raidou ducked to avoid the hand coming towards him._

" _Unfortunately, I'm not my little kouhais. What we're going to do is take out ROOT, and by effect, Danzo. We'll only kill him if he provokes us," Kakashi added as an afterthought._

" _First, don't call us that and second, how are we, a squad of six-now five- supposed to take out an entire organization that shouldn't even exist in the first place?" Genma asked._

_Kakashi gave them his trademark eye smile and somehow the air became cooler._

" _I think you better write this down," Raidou told Genma._

" _No need for you to tell me that."_

_Their captain marched up and down the living room, his hand stroking his chin as he did so. After a while, he stopped in the middle of the large space, behind the coffee table and in front of the armchair, and put his hands back in his pockets, slouching his shoulders._

" _If there's anyone that's hates the Uchiha more than life itself, it's Danzo. He's the common factor here. Take ROOT out of the equation and he's left defenseless, meaning one hurdle to for us to avoid. And here's how we're going to do it. Questions after I'm done?"_

" _Hai!" came the reply._

" _One: monitor Itachi and Shisui. They're at the centre of this mess and Danzo is keen on getting them on his side, so to prevent that we're going to keep tabs on the both of them. Itachi is our responsibility, Shisui will be Obito's. They can't be left alone without us knowing where they are._

" _Two: infiltration. We can't get close to ROOT but Shisui can. He recently went on a mission with them and if Obito's information's correct then we don't have to try. Danzo wants him so we'll hand him over, except Shisui won't know he'll be used as a spy, he'll just repeat whatever happens to Obito._

" _Three: council meeting. If we can win over the council regarding Naruto's adoption, it'll put the Uchiha and Danzo in a vulnerable position. Naruto's friends with Sasuke so even if Fugaku resents that I'm the one with full custody, he'll play nice with us. Naru-chan being friends with the little prince gives us an advantage cause they'll think they have access to the Kyuubi's container to monitor him. Danzo on the other hand…he'll just be pissed._

" _Four: action. This could happen at anytime. Danzo's on my case. Worst case scenario he'll find out about my disease and send a squad to take me out. Probably won't just kill me, he'll make it as painful as possible. To prevent that, we'll lure them in. As soon as a mission comes up, he'll be watching, and we'll be ready._

" _Five: confrontation. We'll confront the old war hawk once we figure out his plan, Hokage-sama will have to intervene. Once he's out of the way, the Uchiha will be easier to deal with, meaning Hokage-sama will be able to negotiate with them without a third party trying to screw everything up." Kakashi finish with a giant gulp and collapsed back onto his armchair._

_He stuck his hand up, just give me a second, was his message._

" _Okay shoot."_

_The three members of Team Rou all raised their hands. They learnt the hard way what happens if they all spoke at the same time of their captain's head._

_After a brief team during their early days as ANBU members. Needless to say, no one except Kakashi and Itachi went home uninjured that day (Itachi watched on the side-lines since he was everything but impolite, Mikoto raised a well-mannered child, thank you very much) and a new rule was made: any questions after the captain speaks will only be answered if hands are raised. The order of questioning will go in accordance to joining Team Rou, that is oldest members to newest. If the rule is not followed, then all members involved will be liable to the worst punish. Punishment being however the captain sees fit. That was one thing they all wanted to avoid._

_Tenzou spoke up first, "Senpai, your plan mentions nothing about your deteriorating health and considering your concern for Naruto, Itachi and Shisui, is it really okay to use them as pawns?"_

" _It's necessary and they won't be in any danger, I'll make sure of it. If we're going to win, we'll have to use any means possible. My health takes a backseat right now, it's more mental than physical anyway."_

" _The more often you use the sharingan, the worse it gets. What makes you so sure Naruto's adoption will affect Danzo anyway? I get the Uchiha part, though." Genma didn't look up as he spoke, he was fervently writing down the plan, making notes as he went along._

" _Danzo'll probably want to use Naruto as a weapon, he'll be shaken up by_ _ **me**_ _of all people having legal guardianship over him so his attention will probably be on that for a while. Giving us time to figure out what he's planning."_

_Genma nodded and a murmur of appreciation was heard from the three ninjas._

_Kakashi resisted the urge to roll his eyes; Raidou was frantically waving his arm around. He didn't bother to say anything, Raidou would open his mouth when he wanted to._

" _Why's Danzo hate you again? I honestly can't remember. Also, how'd you manage to think all of that up now when we could've finished everything hours ago?"_

_Genma stopped writing. Admittedly, he didn't know himself why Danzo hated Kakashi that much, he just accepted the fact. Most people found his captain to be intolerable anyway. Tenzou's tensing up didn't go unnoticed either. Even Hayate began to stir._

" _Uhh, it's okay if you don't answer that first part Taicho."_

" _No, I should've told you guys from the beginning." He glanced at Tenzou who nodded. Turning his head away, Kakashi said quietly, "I used to be part of ROOT. That's where I met Tenzou and Team Rou was formed. Long story short, after Sen- after Youndaime-sama's death, Danzo convinced me to join the Foundation and I left ANBU. It didn't last long; I betrayed him and now he sees me as a threat. There's other stuff too but I'd rather not get into that right now."_

_Silence shrouded the room once more. Kakashi didn't have to turn around to see the look on their faces, he subconsciously tugged at his mask._

_Raidou cleared his throat, "Right-to. I think I speak for all of us so uhm… You being part of ROOT doesn't bother us, I mean you're Kakashi Hatake. Most of us hated you growing up but we're family now, so it doesn't matter. You're a great leader, not so much at other stuff but, er, yeah. Danzo can kiss my ass if he thinks otherwise."_

_Trust Raidou to say something like that. Thankfully, no one could see_ _Kakashi smiling_

_He scoffed, "You're insane if you think I care about what any of_ _**you** _ _think. Now c'mon let's get this done and call it a night."_

" _Hai Taicho!"_

_Their motivation didn't last long though, Hayate accidentally kicked Genma which set off a chain reaction. Genma's arm knocked the ink jar over spilling all over the coffee table, he hastily tried to use his sleeve to wipe up the mess but elbowed Raidou in the process. The scarred ninja cursed and punched Tenzou in the jaw, thinking it was him that assaulted him. tenzou called Raidou an idiot shouting about he he was too stupid to notice that he clearly wasn't the one who did. He then proceeded to launch at him, thus a four-person fight began._

_Somehow, Kakashi got thrown in the face with the paper scattered around but he managed to restrain his anger... Until Hayate started to sing and Naruto woke up from the racket. No one slept until the early hours of the morning once Kakashi joined in._

* * *

"We ended up only finalising everything in the morning. But yeah, that's the entire story. Still unsure how _you_ ended up with the papers anyway. Actually, Genma didn't you notice it going missing?"

"Oi, Taicho don't go blaming me! I was asleep and thought you took it!" He shouted from the other branch.

Ignoring Genma, Itachi leaned towards Kakashi and poked him in the eye. The elder of the two flinched while the younger sneered.

"That's for doing this behind my back. You've been watching Shisui and I the whole time and been planning on using us… But as questionable as it was, I understand. Though that doesn't mean I'll forgive you."

"I am sorry, really. You weren't supposed to find out like this or at all to be honest."

Itachi hummed as he turned attention to the others. "You guys all suck."

"It was Taicho's idea. Don't blame us, Ita-"

"Ahem," Tenzou interrupted Raidou. "In case you've all forgotten, we're on a mission for Kami's sake! You two-" he emphasised by pointing, "-keep on using real names! I swear I'm the only one who ever pays attention to the rules. This is how we'll get caught."

"Actually Deer, I think we'll get caught cause of all your shouting," Hayate said.

That earned a snort from Itachi. He was still angry at them, but Kami did he love his teammates. They always turned the most sombre moods into livelier ones.

"You're one to talk. Should I remind you of how your and Frog's covers were blown a few _days_ ago?"

"Okay there was no need for that, Tenzou!"

"For the last time, it's Deer!"

Kakashi threw a shuriken at Tenzou, the weapon barely missing his head. "One more word outta ya and the only thing following us will be your ghost."

Tenzou cowered. "Ha-hai."

Beside him, Raidou frowned beneath his mask. Something was wrong. "Do you guys feel that?"

Genma answered, "Feel what Frog? I don't feel anything…oh fuck me sideways. Taicho what do we do?"

Kakashi was already standing with his ceramic mask plastered neatly on his face and stuffing whatever was left of his rations in the backpack they brought along. He realised it immediately after Raidou mentioned it. For a captain, he needed a slap in the face, actually make that a kick.

"Ita-Weasel put on your mask. Everyone be on guard, Tenzou how many of them again?"

"Six, shit! How did none of us notice?"

"So much for being prepared, mates. They're ROOT, Tenz. Even if we don't belong to the same faction, we still have the same training. For the most part in any case." Genma was adjusting the katana on his back, his hands were shaking. The possibility of a fight had his blood boiling.

 _Took them long enough,_ he thought. Team Rou noticed they were being followed an hour into their mission. Weighing the odds of both ROOT and the unidentified enemy attacking, Kakashi decided against acting out. It would spare their energy, he reasoned.

However, two days had past and still no battle. It was like they were being taunted. Roundabout ways were taken to avoid them discovering their mission. Finding Fugaku's team was priority, but frustrating as well. Nothing was achieved, no men found, and no men beaten.

"They're nearby. It's faint but I can sense it," Itachi said.

"Alright, let's take it as a warning then. We split into teams of two, different directions each. Send the signal when you're done," Kakashi said and bounced onto the balls of his feet.

"Tenzou, you're with me. The rest of you, find out as much as you can before the kill, nothing too brutal. You ready?"

"As ready as ever Senpai."

Fingers lifted high above his head were pointing to the right. _We're this close to crushing you._ The captain brought his hand down in a quick motion and the team set off.

To the west, Kakashi and Tenzou, to the east, Hayate and Raidou and to the north, Genma and Itachi. Shortly afterwards and unaware that they've been caught in a trap set by the Copy Ninja himself, the Foundation members followed.

They were Dragon, Tanuki and Bear.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have no excuse other than I was too lazy, demotivated and trying to finish the rest of the story before uploading this chapter. Also I apologise for the bad quality of writing you just read.
> 
> I'm still not done finalising the rest of the fic so this will be the last chapter until I completely finish Altered Reality up to the time skip (yes, there will be a time skip). What you can look forward to is my upcoming threeshot, My Escape.
> 
> It's a Naruto fanfic centred around the question: what if Naruto had a more realistic, less shounen mc reaction, to certain events in his life i.e Sasuke leaving, Jiraiya's death, the war, etc? Details to follow later, but it follows the classic amnesia trope with my own little twist of course. The writing is way better than it is here and it's being beta'd.
> 
> This fic will not be abandoned anytime soon no matter how hard I cringe at my writing so if you're worried about that when I don't post after a long time, don't be. Altered Reality is my baby and WILL be completed.
> 
> P.S - The next chapter might come out as soon as I'm done writing My Escape


	21. Don't Betray My Trust Again, Obito-san

Back in Konoha, Obito was contemplating murder. He didn't mind watching over his cute little brother, what he did mind however, was not being informed that he was stuck on babysitting duty. Sure, Pakkun came to tell him that Kakashi had to leave soon for a mission and he needed someone to watch over Naruto, but what Pakkun did not tell him until the very last minute was that Kakashi would be gone for an unknown period of time doing Kami knows what.

Obito scowled at the memory of arriving at the house, furniture moved slightly from its usual place, papers and kitchenware scattered all over the floor and air a bit humid. In his hand, he held a poorly written message scribbled on a serviette in Kakashi's handwriting asking if he could take care of Naruto while he was away on the mission (which Obito still had yet to find out about what it was about). He crumpled the paper, put it in his pants' pocket and glanced at the small pug at his feet.

Instead of answering the silent question however, Pakkun continued walking and once they passed an empty room leading to Naruto's, he understood why. Rather than its light greenish colour, the walls were singed black and, in the air, lingered a menacing power. Obito shuddered at the thought of what happened in there.

When he finally reached Naruto, he kneeled beside the boy's bed. On the bed lay three dogs, all cuddled against each other and Naruto's tiny, thin arms wrapped around Akino. Obito placed his hand on Naruto's forehead, it was no longer hot, but his skin was a deathly pale and covered in a sheen of sweat.

"Pakkun," he remembered saying, "What happened?"

The pug jumped onto the bed to decrease the height difference and told him what had happened. Turning his head to look at Naruto and then back at Obito he gave a small cough.

"Kakashi trusts you to watch over Pup. He didn't want to leave, especially not with Naruto in a state like this, but there was no other choice."

"And how long will he be gone?" Obito asked.

Pakkun shrugged. "There's no telling with the mission but Team wouldn't procrastinate, not with this one."

"What's the mission even about? I get that it's ANBU and whatever, but Kakashi never had a problem telling me before-even if did break the rules he regards so sacredly."

Pakkun shook his head. "It's better if you don't know. With Kakashi and Itachi being away, your role regarding Shisui and the Uchiha is more critical now."

"Critical and puts me out of a job until he comes back," Obito said as he stretched his arms out behind him and laid backwards. "I'll keep an eye on Shisui and Naruto, someone's gotta do the work around here. You're staying here or?"

"Leaving. Kakashi might need me on the mission but they'll-" he paused and nudged his head towards the sleeping dogs, "-be helping around."

"Tell him he'd better come back in time for the council meeting."

Pakkun hesitated. "I'll do that," he said eventually and nuzzled Naruto's neck before disappearing into thin air.

His hesitation didn't go unnoticed by Obito.

_Just what did you get yourself into now, Teme?_

But his thoughts were interrupted by tugging at his pants bringing him back to the present. He was standing by the sink in Kakashi's kitchen, the cold-water tap running and a ceramic bowl in his hands.

Cursing inwardly, he closed the tap. He was rinsing out bowls to put the porridge he made in for breakfast but must have gotten distracted. He glanced down, the tugging wouldn't stop.

"Obi-nii, uppie!" Naruto said holding his arms in front of him.

Obito bent down and ruffled his hair. He picked him up and placed him on the counter next to the sink.

"Still feeling down?" he asked.

Naruto nodded but didn't say anything. He looked down.

"I know it's tough being with me instead of Kakashi, but Naru-chan he won't be gone forever."

"Kashi-nii left after I shouted," Naruto said quietly.

Obito took a deep breath. _Nothing's going to change until go get back here, Kakashi._

"He didn't leave because of you." Obito lightly grasped Naruto's chin forcing him to look up. "Kakashi loves you, Naru-chan. Everyone else too, they're just busy."

"Kashi-nii never left for so long."

"I know but remember what I told you after you woke up, Kakashi's a ninja. A strong one too, so he has to leave sometimes, to protect us."

Naruto's brows furrowed. "But you're a ninja too. Are you also leaving?"

Obito's eyes widened slightly at Naruto's question. His words were innocent enough, he was too young to understand the weight it held but still it filled Obito with dread. Naruto spoke with such sadness, that no one his age should feel. The pain of being abandoned over and over again.

"Ninjas protect people so until Kakashi comes back, that'll be my job. I'm always going to be here for you Naruto."

Naruto hugged Obito's neck. The older of the two yelped in surprise but hugged back; he needed to reassure Naruto at least twice a day but if that what kept him happy, he'd gladly do it. To him, Naruto was the future and he'd do damn well to protect that future.

"Obi-nii." Naruto said after a while. "When's Sasuke coming?"

Obito pulled away. "Was that what was bothering you earlier?"

Naruto giggled. "You looked sad. I miss Kashi-nii but I wanna play with Sasuke."

"You little devil." Obito flicked Naruto's forehead and smirked when he winced.

"Shisui's bringing Sasuke after the breakfast. Get dressed in the meantime while I finish the food up."

"I want ramen Obi-nii!"

"Heh, what's the deal with ramen? We had it last night for dinner."

Naruto's eyes widened. "Obi-nii," he said, voice lower than usual. "Raidou-nii said that ramen will make me grow. Sasuke-teme called me little last time."

Obito rolled his eyes. "Stop listening to Raidou, Naru-chan. Also stop calling Sasuke teme, it's rude."

"But Obi-nii, you and Kashi-nii say it all the time."

Obito groaned. He and Kakashi really were bad influences for Naruto sometimes.

* * *

"Sasuke hurry up!" Shisui called out.

He leaned against the open doorway of the main Uchiha residence with his arms crossed and one leg propped against the wall. Mikoto came from Sasuke's room holding the pouting child's hand while the he held a small green dinosaur plushie.

"Sorry Shisui-kun, Sasuke couldn't decide which toy he wanted to take with." Sasuke blushed at his mother's words.

"Not true! Kaa-san don't lie!" he shouted causing both of them to laugh.

"Ne, ne Sasuke it's alright if you admit you're excited to see Naruto. He is your first friend after all," Shisui said and pushed himself off the wall.

Sasuke stuck his tongue out at him. "I don't like that Baka! Nii-san's gone so I need someone to play with. Not you, Shisui!"

"Still refusing to add the honorific, huh. And don't call Naruto that, it's a mean word."

"Nii-san called you that," he said and Shisui could've sworn he saw him smirk.

Shisui's eye twitched. He loved Sasuke as much as he loved Itachi but the tiny Uchiha was really a pain in the ass at times.

Mikoto let of Sasuke's hand and crouched down to his level. "Now Sasuke what have I told you about talking to Shisui-kun that way?"

"Kaa-san said not to."

"Exactly. Ita-chan may call him that but that doesn't make it right for you to. Be nice to Naruto-chan too, okay?"

"Hai Kaa-san."

Shisui rolled his eyes at the scene. Sasuke would act like an angel then but as soon as they leave his demonic side would appear.

Mikoto kissed Sasuke's forehead and stood up. "Off you go then. Ariagato, Shisui-kun, I really needed time for myself today."

Shisui nodded. "No problem, Ba-san. Are you sure you'll be fine alone though? Obito-san said he needed to speak to me but I'm sure he wouldn't mind if you tagged along."

Mikoto shook her head. "I need to be by myself right now. I know Fugaku's mission only ends next week but I can't shake this feeling that-" she stopped herself noticing the look Sasuke was giving her.

"They'll be fine. We're Uchiha after all and with Team Rou involved… I'm certain they're just procrastinating to pass the time," Shisui said not really believing his own words.

Less than a week remained until Fugaku's team were supposed to be back from their mission and the council meeting was to take place. Team Rou still had not returned and Shisui had a feeling that the situations were interconnected.

He picked Sasuke up, much to child's chagrin, and threw him over his shoulder. "Stop complaining I'm carrying you, so you won't be tired once we get there," he told Sasuke who was whacking his back with the dinosaur.

"We'll be off, see you later Ba-san."

With a slight bow and a wave of his hand, Shisui left the house with a struggling Sasuke lying on his shoulder.

The walk to Kakashi's place was a long one as Shisui took the route that avoided as many people as possible. Ever since Inabi came back to the village without the rest of his team, the Uchiha became more hostile than ever claiming foul play. Sasuke didn't need to see the questioning gazes the rest of the villagers gave him, not for being the clan leader's son but rather for being the brother of whose loyalty was questionable.

"Shisui-nii, when's Tou-san coming home?"

"I don't know Sasuke."

"Shisui-nii, when's Nii-san coming home?"

"I don't know Sasuke."

Sasuke stayed quiet for a few moments before- "Shisui-nii."

A sigh. "Yes Sasuke?"

"Can you give me a piggyback? Nii-san always gives me a piggyback."

Shisui smiled and stopped in his tracks. "Sure, but no hitting me with that dinosaur."

"Mmhm."

After putting Sasuke down, Shisui helped him get up onto his back and held his legs securely over his arms. He hopped up once Sasuke wrapped his arms around his neck.

"We're almost there, alright? If we talk it'll take us sooner to get there."

"Don't wanna," Sasuke said, his voice trembling.

Shisui's brows knotted. "Sasuke? What's wrong?"

The toddlers grip around his neck tightened. Shisui could tell Sasuke was close to tears but if he pushed it, Sasuke might not answer him. He was stubborn after all.

"Kaa-san hates me!" he screamed in Shisui's ear causing the older to wince.

"Nii-san isn't home. Tou-san isn't home. Kaa-san cries, Shisui-nii. They hate me!"

Shisui sighed; he forgot how fragile Sasuke was. To him, the concept of fragility was a strange one. Perhaps it was because he knew tragedy since a young age or because he was trying to prevent a civil war from happening, either way fragility had no place in the world they lived in.

 _That's the worst part, isn't it?_ He thought.

"Sasuke," he began, "No one hates you, sure you're a brat, but everyone loves you."

"But Nii-san and Kaa-san and Tou-san-"

"Love you more than anything. Itachi and your Tou-san are working, and Kaa-san is feeling lonely. She wants you to play with Naruto because she knows you're lonely too."

"But who's gonna play with Kaa-san then?"

Shisui snorted and shook his head. How he wished he could be that innocent again.

"Kaa-san will be okay. She's your Kaa-san, remember? The best Kaa-san in the world."

"Yep!"

Shisui awkwardly tried to bring his hand to his ear. "Oi, stop shouting in my ear!"

Instead of getting a 'yes, Shisui-nii' like he wanted, all he got was a strong tug on his ear. Was all children demons or was it just him and Naruto?

"Is this Naruto's house Shisui-nii?" Sasuke asked, still pulling his ear.

"Cut that out, will you!"

Shisui stopped walking. Truth be told, he stopped paying attention to where he was going while he talking to Sasuke. Not that they would end up lost, it was a straight path and even if they somehow managed to (who knew what demon children were capable of doing) he would just shunshin to Kakashi's place. The only reason he didn't was because Sasuke was extremely skittish.

"Shisui-nii!"

"Ow-ow-ow!"

_Damn, I got distracted again. Also, Damn you demon child!_

"It's this house, okay. So, stop pulling my ear!"

Shisui heard a giggle, a familiar and annoying one. He looked straight ahead, his neck had gone stiff from turning to reprimand Sasuke the entire time, and his face fell.

There he stood, dressed so similar to Kakashi with his headband pulled down to the side of his face, the uncovered part scarred in a spiral-like fashion, and his brown coloured eye twinkling with amusement. In that moment, Shisui wanted nothing more than to drag Obito by his spiky black hair and wipe that smug look off his face.

Who was he to judge in any case? Naruto was tugging at his arm, practically screaming at him too, all he was doing was a good job of ignoring him.

"How the mighty have fallen. Last week you had the nerve to say that I was at the beck and call of Naru-chan but at least my kid's not trying to pull my ears out."

Shisui smirked. "That's because he knows they don't work either way. My one at least know how to act dignified."

Obito snorted. "That pride of yours' a problem if you think Sasuke-kun trying to claw your hair out is dignified."

"At least I've got pride. You're nearly twenty yet Naruto's got more sense than you."

"Oi, I'm seventeen! And no, he doesn't!"

Shisui snickered. "You hesitated on that last part."

Before Obito could get a word out, Naruto shouted at him.

"Obi-nii! Stop it!"

Naruto pulled Obito and nearly caused the ninja twice his size to topple over backwards. Sasuke hit Shisui on the head before he could laugh.

"Shisui-nii!"

_Oh yeah, they're here too._

* * *

Kakashi's home was unlike any house Sasuke had ever seen. Granted he was only three and hadn't been to many places that he could remember, but even still it amazed him. It was smaller than his, that was for sure, but somehow it felt homely enough that he didn't mind Naruto's talking.

"Where we going?" he asked his newfound friend as the blond dragged him through the home by his small hand.

"Garden! Guru and Aki's there."

Sasuke didn't know who 'Guru' or 'Aki' was so he turned around to look at Shisui who winked at him. He took a deep breath, he was nervous and shy, but his Kaa-san told him to have fun so he would.

"Hurry up!" he demanded.

Upon reaching the garden, Sasuke gasped. It was peaceful, yet mysterious. At first glance, the garden looked simple, plain, nothing out of the ordinary, but Sasuke could tell that there was more than meets the eye. There were steps outside the home to sit down on and gaze upon the greenery but if you moved further and closer towards the centre, it was a whole new world.

There was a stone pagoda situated in the middle of a pond and leading past that was a short winding path. Naruto was leading him, saying that he would show him his favourite place, and Sasuke was considering that perhaps this would be his favourite place as well. There wasn't much variation in colour, the evergreens and conifers were all a similar shade of green. They passed many stone lanterns along the way.

There were steppingstones to walk on as water was running at their feet, it was a serene little stream that was surrounded by small rocks. Sasuke was careful to watch his step, not wanting to fall in.

Naruto led him to the very edge of the garden where a small wooden pavilion stood. It was hidden behind all the greenery and the brown colour of wood could barely be seen, most of the structure was covered in moss. The inside was clean and there were three big, fluffy pillows lying inside.

"Wow…" Sasuke said.

He couldn't believe his eyes. He had never seen anything like it before.

"You should thank us, young man," someone told him.

Sasuke let out a yelp of surprise. He jumped when he felt something could and wet nudge his leg.

"Bis, stop being mean to Sasuke," Naruto said.

He pushed Sasuke forward and a dog came out from behind him. Sasuke's jaw dropped when he realised that a _dog_ spoke to him. He turned to Naruto with a frightened look on his face.

"They're not scary, Sasuke. They're really nice."

"And cute too, Naru-chan. I'm Guruko," the smallest dog introduced himself holding his paw up.

"I'm Bisuke. Sorry for scaring you Sasuke-kun," another told him.

"And my name's Akino."

The sunglass-wearing dog moved closer to him, bowing his head as an invitation. Hesitantly, Sasuke stretched his arm out to pet Akino. He closed his eyes, but opened them again when he felt Akino rub against his palm.

"You can talk?"

"We're summons. It's a little different than the usual ninken. We can do all sorts of things besides talk, like clean this place up for example."

Naruto bent down and hugged the rest of the dogs who gladly returned the embraced. "Obi-nii said we could play here so they helped me clean."

Bisuke barked. "We did all the work, Pup. You fell asleep as soon as we got here."

Naruto giggled and sat down on the pillow in between the other two and Bisuke instantly jumped into his lap. He pat the pillow beside him for Sasuke to sit on.

Guruko did the same as Bisuke as soon as Sasuke settled down and nuzzled his face into the crook of Sasuke's neck while Akino made himself comfortable in the last pillow.

"This is so cool."

Naruto hummed in agreement. "I like playing in the garden. It's fun with the doggies and everyone else."

"You have more friends?"

Naruto nodded and smiled widely at him, but as quickly as it came was as quickly as it vanished.

"We played everyday but when Kashi-nii left, I only play with Obi-nii and Shisui-nii."

"Shisui-nii?" Sasuke frowned. Shisui only started to spend time with him because Itachi still hadn't returned home.

"Uh-huh. Shisui-nii always make me do weird breathing stuff. Like with my eyes closed and that. It's really boring."

"Oh," he said simply. It still didn't make much sense to him but there was something else that was bothering him.

"Why do call Nii-san Itachi-nii? He's mine not yours."

Naruto tilted his head. "Itachi-nii's part of Kashi-nii's team."

He said it a if it was the simplest thing in the world, but Sasuke still couldn't understand it. Team? Kashi-nii? He didn't know what it was, but he felt something burn inside him. Naruto was weird, he called everyone by a weird name and was always smiling, it made him feel uneasy.

Naruto was smaller than him, strange looking and yet, he felt comfortable around him, it felt similar to when he was with Itachi or Shisui. He did not like one bit. Sasuke huffed and turned his gaze to the struggling dog in Naruto's arm.

"Itachi's with Kakashi, Sasuke. You saw him before, he wore a mask up and had silver hair that stood up everywhere," Bisuke said as he wiggled himself out of Naruto's grasp and placed his front paws on Sasuke's arms. "He's coming home soon, I know it."

Sasuke pushed Bisuke's paws off of him. "I know, Nii-san never lies. Not to me, poochy."

Bisuke smirked. "Then smile, will ya kid? And it's Bis, not poochy."

The dog pounced into his lap, tackling Guruko in the process. Sasuke jumped at the sudden impact, catching both dogs by surprised as fell off of him. He turned to a laughing Naruto and although he felt his face flush, he grabbed Naruto's hand and pulled him up.

"I wanna explore," Sasuke said simply.

Naruto stopped laughing for a moment and smiled the widest Sasuke had ever seen.

"Hai!"

Somehow, Naruto took his hand and started to drag him out of the pavilion. It was an odd feeling, running around an unfamiliar place without his older brother or mother near him and laughing as if nothing was missing in life. He felt lighter, free.

_I hope Nii-san's happy too._

* * *

"They seem to be having fun," Obito said while sitting on the steps in the garden.

He and Shisui were watching the kids play an odd game of tag. Naruto and Sasuke were chasing each other with reeds, calling 'it' if they managed to poke the other with the reed. The ninken were playing as well, running between the boys to make them fall.

"Naruto's a lot faster than Sasuke. I know you and Rou's been training him but is it normal for him to outrun Sasuke that much?" Shisui asked.

Obito shrugged. "Probably. Naru-chan spends so much time around ninjas it's only natural he picks up certain things, though he's going to wreck hell at the Academy. Also, what's up with that game of theirs?"

Akino managed to knock Naruto over giving Sasuke the chance to poke him. Naruto rolled over onto his stomach and pulled Sasuke by the legs to drag him down before poking him as well. That seemed to spark a mini brawl between the two and instead of helping, the ninken managed to get into a fight of their own, leaving Akino to separate both groups.

Shisui sweat-dropped at the sight. "Those aren't children, Obito-san. They're demons, nothing's normal about them."

"You've got that right," Obito muttered under his breath.

They fell into a comfortable silence before Shisui decided to break the ice. Neither had spoke about the true purpose why he and Sasuke were there.

"Obito-san tell me the truth. About everything."

"Even I don't know what's going on. Kakashi's the guy sitting with all the answers." Obito banged his fist against the floorboard. "He really knows how to piss me off."

Shisui didn't bother to react. He stared straight ahead with a blank expression.

"And so do you. Itachi's naïve, he put all his trust in Kakashi, he told you about being a double agent and I know for a fact that you guys have been lying to us. Obito-san, I'm not Itachi. I don't blindly follow you because you claim to understand us."

"Then why do you follow us?"

"Because if I don't, I'd lose more than just my clan," he paused and said quieter, "You of all people know what it's like being part of a clan like ours. We love so much that it's our greatest weakness. I've already lost my humanity once, Obito-san, I can't- I won't fail now. Not when there's so much to lose."

Obito heard the hiccup in Shisui's speech. He was crying and in that moment, Obito realised that Shisui was just like Naruto. He was a kid afraid of being abandoned, afraid of letting everyone down and losing everything he held dear.

Just like with Naruto, he hugged Shisui. Obito pulled him into a tight embrace and refused to let go. He wasn't that much older, but in the world they lived in, he might as well have lived centuries compared to Shisui.

"No one's watching, so stop struggling. I'm sorry for letting you go through this, Shisui, I'm sorry for lying to you about everything. Itachi's safe, your-our clan is safe and nothing will change that. I promise."

Somewhere along the line Shisui grabbed onto him, refusing to let go despite struggling mere moments before. Obito rubbed Shisui's head, he was small compared to Obito's lanky form, making the task easier. The cries became louder until Shisui's voice became hoarse. His tight grip finally loosened, and he pulled away.

"I'm sorry," he managed to mumble out.

"I won't mention this to anyone," he said and Shisui nodded. "Like I said, I don't know everything that's going on. Kakashi's the mastermind behind everything, but I'll tell you what I know."

Obito took a deep breath and exhaled. The entire situation felt nerve-wrecking.

"Kakashi, and probably the rest of Team Rou at this point, know everything that you've been telling me. From being involved with the coup to Danzo's men approaching you. Kakashi asked me to keep tabs on you, Danzo wants you on his side so to prevent that and learn what he's been planning, we were using you as a spy."

The tension between them thickened. Shisui clenched and unclenched his fists, he swallowed and turned his head to look directly into Obito's eye, his face void of all emotion.

"Everything you've been telling us, it was all a lie? Protecting us from Danzo was just a front so that you could use us instead? I suspected it, but I refused to accept it. Why couldn't you just tell us, why did you have to use us like everyone else?"

Shisui's voice became colder with each sentence, he wasn't lashing out, he was calming himself. Obito could tell he was at his breaking point, he didn't want to cry like he did moments ago but he didn't want to accept the truth either.

"Everything we told you wasn't a lie, we used you to keep you safe from Danzo, to prevent the coup from happening. It's fucked up logic, I know, but we had to use any means necessary. You and Itachi knowing about this would've affected your judgement, you would've thought about what to tell us and we couldn't afford to have you hiding things away."

Shisui stood up. "But it was okay for you to keep things from us?! You lied to us, used us and you expect me to be alright with everything because it was 'necessary'?"

"I'm not asking you to be alright with it!" Obito shouted, surprising Shisui. "I don't expect you to sit down and just take it in. Hell, I'm pissed that I even had do this shit because the world we live in is so fucking messed up. You can hate me all you want after this, but please, there's just five days until Fugaku comes back."

He looked desperate, Obito was certain he did, but he could see that there was some kind of emotion in Shisui's eyes. He hated that he had to beg for this, but he couldn't leave Shisui vulnerable when the entire village seemed to be out of place.

"Alright, until Fugaku-san comes back, and that damn meeting happens, I'll trust you. On the condition that I'm not a spy for you. I know we only touched the surface of what I wanted to know, so you better tell me everything."

Obito lowered his head. "Arigato."

Shisui clicked his tongue. "Doesn't mean I forgive you or anything. Itachi and Team Rou are still missing. If he comes back harmed, I will take my anger out on you and Kakashi."

Obito laughed nervously. Shisui's chakra was leaking his killer intent, and while he was certain that Kakashi would lose both his arms before anything could happen to his teammates, especially Itachi who he became close to recently, he couldn't help but send a silent prayer that Itachi came back without so much of a scratch.

"They're be fine," he said, more to himself than to Shisui.

Shisui walked towards him and punched his shoulder, Obito winced at the power behind it.

"You're part of the Uchiha, expelled or not, and you are my friend. Ever since Naruto came into the picture, our lives changed. Itachi was the closest person I could consider a friend, but there's you and Kakashi now, maybe even Rou. It was lonely before, so promise me I won't feel that way again."

Obito smiled. "You're such a brat sometimes. I promise we'll solve this, Danzo, ROOT, the coup, we'll destroy them so things can stay the way they are. We finally found home."

Before Shisui could retort, Naruto and Sasuke came running, the ninken trailing behind them.

"Obi-nii, Shisui-nii, play with us!"

Obito wished he could have captured the moment when Shisui's face lit up before turning into a scowl as the two 'demon' children tackled him to the wooden floor. Sasuke was wacking him with a green dinosaur plushie that seemingly appeared out of nowhere and Shisui was trying his best not to let out the string of curses he so much wanted to scream.

He finally found home, the only thing missing was his workaholic best friend and his team of loyal idiots.

* * *

In a dark and cold tower a frail old man stood up straight, though his grip on his wooden cane was strong.

His black, shaggy hair, covered his left eye, leaving the subordinate he was addressing to shudder slightly. His right eye was already bandaged and the white shirt he wore covered from the top with his dark grey robe to his feet and just over his right shoulder, made his ominous presence seem stronger.

"You're telling me," he hissed at the kneeling ninja, "that three bodies were recovered and none of it belong to Rou?"

"Hai, Danzo-sama."

"And Dragon, Tanuki and Bear, all cannot be found?"

"Hai, Danzo-sama."

"What is your report on Team Rou?"

"They are still missing, Danzo-sama. Eagle reported that Hokage-sama seems to be on edge, meaning that he does not know of their location either. A message, however, was left in the sand next to Dragon's mask. It appeared to be written by one of Team Rou's members."

"What did it say?"

The ninja hesitated, but Danzo hit his cane against the cool tiling. "You will tell me, Crane."

"Hai, Danzo-sama," the ninja said and coughed.

"The message said, quote, 'Fuck you, Danzo. Come face us yourself, you little bitch. I could take you in my sleep,' unquote."

Danzo's grip on his cane tightened, the dents that he left when he spoke to the Hokage cracked, and the top part snapped.

He chuckled darkly. "They've got guts insulting me. Spread the word Crane, I want their entire team dead, whoever brings me their head will be rewarded."

Crane nodded and left immediately.

"It seems my hatred for you has finally been surpassed, Hiruzen."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So before you ask, no I'm not done writing Altered Reality, I just couldn't resist posting this update because it's been so long and I miss receiving feedback. My other fic, My Escape will be published soon, so as soon as that's up, the next chapter of this will be up as well. (I loved writing the ending for this chapter because I hate Danzo and love Team Rou)
> 
> Also I will be starting a brand new initiative because school has been taking over my life and I miss writing the way I used to. So, the more reviews (5+) and my updates will be faster. Before anyone says I'm just doing this for the numbers, guys imagine if you spent hours writing something you're passionate about and get no response at all. It'll take less than 5 minutes to do so, please review.
> 
> Brownie points to anyone who can guess which member wrote the message, it will be addressed in the next chapter but it'll fun hearing what you guys think. While I'm at it, I'll say there's an omake/filler chapter coming up soon with Naruto's birthday as the focus point. It won't be released on his actual birthday, but there will be fun hijinks to make up for that. Baby boy's about to turn 4 in this fic and 33/34 in Boruto.
> 
> Please review and hit kudos if you read this story, feedback is really important to me as it allows me to interact with the readers and tells me if my is something with reading. Requests are always open so check my bio/profile if you want to request something.
> 
> Until next time, ja!


	22. The Hand I've been Dealt

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn't want to post this just yet, but I did and I have no regrets.  
> Happy birthday to my favourite boi, Naruto Uzumaki - I posted this chapter just for you (even if I broke your heart a little in the fic)

"What is your report, Yakumi-san?"

The ninja cringed at his superior's question. It infuriated him, he was far older, far more experienced, and yet he was being treated as a lesser by a boy who he didn't even trust. He was too ambiguous; he was a prince, surrounded by peasants and he _welcomed_ it.

"I won't ask again. Yakumi-san, what is your report?"

Yakumi resisted the urge to scowl. His feelings didn't matter in this situation. Fugaku was down, leaving his son to take over in his stead.

"The forest is full of them. They left this-" Inabi took a crumbled-up page out of his pocket and waved it in front of him. "-posted on a tree with a kunai."

Yakumi sighed when he received nothing but an amused look when he mentioned the note. "None of this would have happened if your team didn't taunt ROOT. You're ANBU for Kami's sake!"

Itachi scoffed. "We're Team Rou. Besides, take it up with Taicho, he's the one responsible for this mess."

At the mention of his name, Kakashi made his way to Itachi. He rested his forearm on Itachi's head, giving his trademark eye-smile to Yakumi.

"There a problem, Itachi?" he asked. His voice was polite but Yakumi could tell there was an edge to it, warning him not to say something out of line.

Itachi pushed Kakashi's arm away but his captain threw it around his shoulders. Itachi clicked his tongue but did nothing further.

"Yakumi-san reported that ROOT's spread out everywhere. We're safe since no one knows about this place but we should get a move on. It's only a matter of time before they get here."

Kakashi hummed and pointed at the paper Yakumi was holding.

He tilted his head. "Guess that's why they're in high spirits, huh. Not so much their comrades are dead but because we insulted their beloved leader."

Yakumi squinted his eyes at Kakashi. He didn't want to acknowledge him; the Copy Ninja only received his title because of a stolen gift so why should he respond as though none of this was Team Rou's fault.

"We could have been home by now if it was not for your team of idiots running amok and causing a mess wherever you went," he said icily.

"Oh?" Kakashi removed his arm from around Itachi's shoulder and stood up straight. His form was taller than Yakumi's, only by a few centimetres but the act had its desired effects. Yakumi shrank back, his breath hitching when he felt the killer intent Kakashi was letting out.

"My team of idiots you say? Funny that you call us that when _your_ team was attacked, failed your mission, took on ROOT and failed again, nearly had your _clan leader_ killed in the process had _we_ not stepped in. And you call us idiots?"

Kakashi took a step closer towards him with each emphasised word. They were face to face now, merely a finger's length apart.

"I don't care what you think of me, Uchiha-san, but do yourself a favour and behave like the good little ninja you are and sit down with the rest of your friends over there. I may be the Copy Ninja now, but I was _always_ Kakashi Hatake. Only I am allowed to mock my team, are we clear Uchiha-san?"

Yakumi gulped but nodded his head, though not too much because he still had his pride.

He glanced at Itachi before turning to head towards where the rest of the group was recuperating. It was nearly their entire party of ten, he being the only member of Fugaku's team apart from Tekka, who was still scouting, that was well enough to move around.

Team Rou were bloodied and bruised, no doubt from taking on ROOT, but still felt the need to cause disturbance at their hideout. Only one, who Yakumi dubbed Panda-san because of his sickly look, was quiet-only when he wasn't coughing up a storm.

Yakumi wanted to groan, he hated everything about his situation. His captain was too injured too move and gave his authority to his ten-year-old son, Itachi, however was more like a puppet being mastered by Kakashi. He didn't give any orders without looking at Kakashi for guidance and it sickened Yakumi.

Why was he, the Uchiha heir, seeking advice from a mongrel when his own father was there? Immobile sure, but he was coherent.

"You're staring at me, Yakumi-san," Itachi said bringing him back to reality.

Yakumi blinked. Had he been staring at Itachi the entire time? He must have been because Kakashi's menacing aura had increased.

He lowered his head. "Apologies, Itachi-sama. I spaced out."

Itachi considered his words. "You need rest, it's nearing sundown and we leave first thing tomorrow. Taicho and I will take watch, we'll switch with you and Tekka later."

He noticed Kakashi nod from the corner of his eye. Yakumi clenched his fist, damn these brats. He lowered his head again and left the duo; nothing good would come out of staying with them for too long.

They were still within earshot and he was certain they knew about it, otherwise they would have hushed their voices. Yakumi sat on a tree stump surrounded by Rou, while Setsuna stayed in the tent opposite him. He stared into the fire, it was the only thing separating him from the people he so despised. Why did they have to recuperate out in the open, why couldn't they stay in the tent they pitched next to Fugaku's?

He decided that it wasn't worth questioning, he would definitely receive a sarcastic response if he did ask and he was not in the mood for it. Yakumi closed his eyes and concentrated, he blocked out the annoying background noises to hear what Itachi and Kakashi were speaking about.

"You didn't have to scare him like that." He heard Itachi say.

"He annoyed me. I know you don't care much about their opinions, but insulting Rou is another thing entirely."

"Otou-san expects me to lead this party back to Konoha, I can't behave like I usually would."

Yakumi heard Kakashi laugh. "What, you would have threatened bodily harm? We're too much of an influence if that's your first thought."

"I'm not as crass as the rest of you are. I was raised to be proper, threats are barks, actions are bites."

Kakashi's laughter became louder. "You sound like an idiot. That's why you're my favourite, Ita-chan."

Yakumi nearly fell over when he heard the affectionate name Kakashi used to address Itachi. It was bad enough listening to the clan heir imitate a serious tone, mocking the way he was raised.

"Saying things like that won't make me forgive you that easily Taicho. I am still upset about what you did."

"I know, you don't have to forgive me. Three days, Itachi, that's all I'm asking for."

"We need to make it back to the Village first, but Otou-san…Taicho I'm not ready for this. I know I'm ANBU, I should be used to this. I see bodies all the time, I'm the reason they're lifeless, but him-"

Kakashi cut him off before he could end his sentence. "I'll fix this, alright? Things will go back to the way they should be, everyone will be safe. Trust me, Ita-chan. I won't let you down."

"Are you doing this for the sake of the Leaf or for Na-"

Na? Was that the name of one of their teammates? Yakumi frowned, the more he listened, the more confused he became. Just what was going on?

"Everyone. To protect everyone, that's why I'm doing this."

Kakashi's voice was so soft that it was disturbing. His tone did not suit his character at all. Yakumi got up, Itachi was right about one thing, he needed rest. Too much had happened, escaping death was a requirement for being a ninja but his pride was injured.

His team took down two ROOT ninjas, but they struggled and didn't notice that there was a third waiting for them to tire out. He struck when they were at their most vulnerable, Setsuna was knocked out cold, Tekka was still engaged in a fight, Fugaku killed an agent and was assisting Tekka when he was hit.

It was beautiful, Yakumi thought regretfully. The way the ROOT ninja danced with his katana as though it was apart of his body, the way he so gracefully threw his kunai, not once missing his target. It reminded him of style he had only ever seen a certain prince excel at. Perhaps that was another reason he was on edge with the new leadership.

Yakumi thought it was over for his team. First, they were attacked by the enemy they were sent after, then they were ambushed by ninjas of a faction he was unaware still existed. The odds were against them, he was struggling to keep Fugaku alive, the stubborn leader refused to back down even though he had a kunai in each limb and his front was slashed.

Tekka had been the only one still fighting, so he made to get up, prepared to unleash his own skills upon the enemy, when out of nowhere, a group of six masked ninjas came to their aid and immediately engaged in battle.

One wearing a frog mask, pushed Yakumi to the side and told him he bleeding too much. He couldn't even remember how he got wounded. Frog mask then moved Fugaku to the side, far enough from the commotion and whispered something in his ear that made him smile.

He and Setsuna were shielded by ninjas wearing a crow and rabbit mask, they told him to brace himself for the impact. Yakumi was confused at the time, delirious from the blood loss, and watched in awe as a tag team of a weasel and dog stood on either side of Fugaku's assailant and performed one strong combo move of lightning and fire.

Inu on the left ran towards the ROOT ninja's back while Weasel on the right weaved hand signs with more speed Yakumi had ever seen someone do. He inhaled and released a breath of fire so powerful, Yakumi was certain it rivalled Fugaku's own. It was certain by then that Weasel had to be none other than Itachi Uchiha.

While Inu was running, he used lightning release to form a weapon something similar to a sword and pierced the ROOT ninja while he was being burnt by the intensity of the Great Fireball Technique.

When the smoke finally cleared, Yakumi saw what had become of the battlefield. Not even the ground itself survived the impact for a ninja wearing a deer mask released a wood style technique and trapped the bodies of now three ninjas. The one Tekka had been fighting wasn't defeated by him as he was lying to the side in a wooden shell of his own.

Weasel nearly fell over had it not been for Inu catching him. Yakumi was certain what he did next was breaking ANBU rules, but he knew it didn't matter because everyone conscious knew who he was before he stripped off his mask or otherwise.

A child screaming for his father was the last thing he heard before passing out and waking up in a hidden sanctuary, unknown to the rest of the world because of the abundance of trees and plants that concealed them.

He was in a tent, a panda lookalike watching over him and a bandana wearing man smirking while chewing on a senbon.

Yakumi demanded to know what happened while he was out and to see his captain but when he was only allowed one of his requests, his dislike for the people who snatched his victory and dented his pride increased.

He didn't listen, of course he didn't, he needed to see his captain. Though once he got there, he wished he had stayed in the tent next door.

Fugaku was lying down, the Copy Ninja on one side, his son on the other. Yakumi always thought his leader was as cold hearted as he projected himself to be, the way he wanted his leader to be, but on Fugaku's face was a smile so tender that he knew the fearsome Uchiha was nothing more than a doting father.

What's worse was that the thief was there and they seemed to be engaged in a conversation. Yakumi's head throbbed so he couldn't hear the conversation, though he was amazed that no one noticed him until he felt a hand on his shoulder.

It was the deer ANBU, still wearing his mask. "Go back to the tent, you have no business here," he told him and Yakumi was left aghast.

He was an Uchiha, part of the Konoha Police Force and one of the strongest members there were, and _he_ was told he had no place there? He hated them, the ANBU, the Copy Ninja, Itachi. They were the ones who didn't have a place there.

"I should get rest," Yakumi said and shook his head. Thinking back to past events would upset his mood even further.

He silently marched to the tent he was staying in, it was big and could fit at least five people in it, unfortunately he shared it with his team, minus Fugaku who stayed with the rest of Rou in the second tent, and Panda-san and Senbon-san.

Once he got there, he made himself comfortable in the sleeping bag and reluctantly closed his eyes. He didn't want to fall asleep because surely he'd dream of what happened the past week and a half. Of their mission failing, of struggling to make their way back to the Leaf because team morale was gone and their captain used too much chakra, of being attacked and then rescued by people he was sure were no better than the enemy.

Yakumi was wounded and not just because he got stabbed through the stomach. The leader he so admired handed his authority over to a child who used it to his advantage. Itachi ordered him and Tekka to scout for any suspicious activity, which his team instigated.

Yakumi overheard the conversation between Panda-san and Senbon-san just before he was fully conscious. Senbon-san laughed heartily while telling Panda-san about the hilarious note he and Itachi left behind next to a dragon mask. Panda-san wheezed but he was laughing just as much. Apparently, Kakashi had suggested it but left the wording up to them.

It wasn't until when he actually found the note when he realised just how far gone the Uchiha heir was. The note was written in a beautiful script, but the language was from it.

He found himself cursing after that, if it weren't for that note and the mask theu intentionally left behind, they could have gotten home easier. It didn't help that they were running out of supplies because Rou only packed for little over three days and his team only had enough for five.

"Just go to sleep, Yakumi. We're heading back in the morning, you only have to put up with this for a few more days."

With that, he clamped his eyes tighter and forced himself to sleep.

* * *

Obito Uchiha was certain he was fucked, and definitely not in the way he wanted to be. Despite having a somewhat civil talk with Shisui who agreed to put up with him for the remainder of the days until Fugaku returned, Shisui disappeared after dropping Sasuke home and couldn't be found anywhere for the past three days.

He sat on his knees at a table across Mikoto in her home while Naruto and Sasuke's shouting could be heard all the way from outside. The youngest Uchiha didn't seem to be too affected by Shisui's sudden disappearance as before he left he whispered something in Sasuke's ear and made him promise not to tell anyone.

Both he and Mikoto tried to coax it out of him but all they ever got in response was a huff and turned cheek. Their worry was growing by the hour, Mikoto over the fact that she lost another family member to a mission, and Obito over the fact that he let someone he swore to protect down yet again.

Obito ducked his head, he could from her voice that Mikoto was close to tears. She begged him to tell her what was going on, but he couldn't. Not when everyone around him started to vanish and her already weakened state would be damaged even further.

"I'm sorry, Mikoto-san, but I can't. I-I don't know myself what's going, there's nothing I can do."

Mikoto banged her fist against the table. "Nothing you can do?!" she shouted.

"Don't lie to me Obito-kun. I know you're hiding things away from me. Tell me, are you planning to join the rest of them? My husband, my children, your friends, all of them are missing and you're saying that there's nothing you can do about it?"

Obito didn't look up. "Naruto's my priority. I can't risk anything while watching him, especially not now. Rumours are spreading fast, it's bad enough I let Naruto leave the house."

"You and I both know that's not the truth. I know you're doing everything you can to find Shisui, to keep Naruto oblivious enough about Kakashi-kun having to leave. Please, Obito-kun, tell me what's going on."

He was shaking, the guilt of failing was too much for him to bear. Ever since he heard the news of Shisui being gone he couldn't look Naruto in the eye. He let the ninken take care of him, play with him, the only time he showed himself to Naruto was at meal and snack times.

Obito gripped at his pants, trying to stop the shaking. He didn't know how much time passed, the air felt the same either way, uneasy and tense.

"Alright."

Mikoto's voice pulled him out of his negative thoughts.

He looked. "Wh-what?"

"Don't get me wrong, Obito-kun, I'm not agreeing with what you or Kakashi-kun are doing." She sighed but gave him a determined look. "I made up my mind, Naruto's staying with here. The ninken are welcomed too, of course, but he's not going home with you."

Obito stood up, nearly knocking the table over in the process. "Naruto's my responsibility. You can't just-"

"And why can't I?" Mikoto asked with a tilt of her head. "Look at yourself! You know just as well as I do that you're not in a state to take care of child, you're shaking for Kami's sake!"

"How I am doesn't matter!" Obito shouted.

"To a child it does! You're behaviour's affecting him, why do you think I had Sasuke get out of this house when I was losing my mind from stress? Naruto needs an adult, not a child who thinks he can take on the weight of the world and brave it all himself."

"So what am I supposed to do? Kakashi's gone, Shisui's gone. Everyone around me is vanishing, I can't let that happen to you or Sasuke or-or Kami forbid, Naruto! He's all I have left, I can't let him go."

Obito brought a hand to his burning cheek. Somehow, while he was ranting, he managed to miss Mikoto getting up and walking over to him. She slapped him.

"Stop using him like that," she said quietly.

Obito's eyes widened when he realised that tears were running down her cheeks.

"Naruto isn't a coping mechanism you use when you realise things aren't going your way, he's a child! So what if people around you are leaving, just do your best to prevent them. None of this is fair, but don't use Naruto as an excuse to not do anything. You think he wants an older brother who abandoned his friends, a brother who sat at home doing nothing?! Kakashi, Itachi, Shisui, they're out there fighting, so what's your excuse?"

He couldn't stop himself from falling, but he wished he did. If he did, he wouldn't have seen the confused look on Naruto and Sasuke's faces as they stood by the door, trying, and failing, to hide themselves.

Mikoto was right, he was using Naruto as an excuse to not do anything. He should've said something to Kakashi, tell him his plan was just as bad as not doing anything. He should've told Pakkun that he needed more than three dogs to care for Naruto. He should've made sure Shisui was safe, that was his job, not using him as a spying device. He tried so hard to not let anyone down, but he ended up letting himself down.

 _What would Sensei do now_ , he asked himself.

Minato Namikaze was the bravest man he'd ever met, the kindest person he'd ever met, but even he failed. He wasn't fast enough to save Rin or to save himself and Kushina from the Kyuubi.

But he did help stop the Third Shinobi War, prevent Konoha from facing more destruction by sacrificing everything he had, hell, he even risked Naruto not having a normal childhood because he had faith the village would grow with him.

If Minato Namikaze, the man who taught and believed in him, the man who he idolised and always wanted to be like, if Minato Namikaze could move forward, why the hell couldn't he?

He pushed himself up despite his body screaming not to, and bowed his head. "You're right, I'm making excuses. I'm going to find Shisui and when that goddamned moron finally decides to make an appearance, I'm going to give him the beating of his life."

"I'll take care of him. Sasuke and I barely leave the house in any case and most people aren't coming round like they used to." Mikoto bent down to his level. "Naruto will be safe, I promise."

Obito nodded. He made up his mind, he couldn't sit waiting for Kakashi to come back, Shisui needed him.

"Naru-chan!" he called out to the child cowering behind Sasuke.

He let out a 'yelp' when Sasuke pushed him forward and nearly fell face first into the wooden floor. Naruto managed to save himself mid-fall, his upper body leaning downwards while his legs were plastered to the floor and butt up. He stretched out his arms, flailing them, and when he finally pulled himself up, he stuck his tongue out at Sasuke.

"You're sure you'll be able to handle two of them?" Obito asked Mikoto amusedly. Naruto had a way to turn even the darkest of moods bright again, he was like the sun and his hair and eyes were a testament to that.

"I was fooled into believing raising children was easy, apparently not every child is as obedient as Itachi, but don't worry. I've got this, Naruto needs a mother's touch."

Obito smiled at that. He stood up and straightened himself out, taking a deep breath, he called Naruto again.

Slowly, Naruto came walking towards him. He ruffled Naruto's hair, hoping the action would make Naruto feel more at ease when he tells him the news.

"Naru-chan, I know I said that until Kakashi comes back I'm going to be with you. But there's something I need to do."

"Leaving?" Naruto's eyes were wide, voice nearly breaking.

Obito nodded. "Only for a little while. I promise when I come back, Kakashi and Shisui will be with me. Guru, Aki and Bis will stay with you too."

Naruto shook his head furiously. "No!" he screamed.

Mikoto gave Obito a look, a silent way of telling him that she'd give him privacy. He was grateful, he wasn't sure if he could handle dealing with the situation if people were watching, even if those people were her and Sasuke.

"No! No! No!" Naruto wailed. "Obi-nii promised. You-you said you wouldn't leave!"

"Naru-chan-"

"Obi-nii hates me! Kashi-nii hated me so he left. Everyone hates me!"

"Naruto, I swear that isn't true-"

"Why, Obi-nii?"

Obito tried his best not to let his own tears fall and clamped his eyes shut. He pulled Naruto into a hug, taking the weak shoves that came his way. He held tighter when he realised Naruto's breathing was becoming heavier.

"No one hates you. I love you so much you'd never understand. Even if you hate me right now, I could never hate you. I need to go, Naru-chan, but I will come back, Kakashi _is_ coming back."

"Come back?" Naruto asked in between sniffles.

"Always."

Obito happily obliged when he felt Naruto try to hug him even tighter.

After a while, they pulled apart. Obito wiped Naruto's tears with his sleeve and gave him a reassuring smile.

"You're going to stay here with Sasuke and Mikoto-san. The ninken will also be here and I'll tell them to bring your favourite toys and story books. I need you to be a big boy for me and be good, alright?"

Naruto nodded.

"Also, no fighting with Sasuke." Obito rolled his eyes at the change of expression on Naruto's face.

"He starts first."

"I don't care. No fighting."

Naruto pouted but nodded again, nonetheless. Obito knew that it wouldn't mean much, as soon as no one was looking, the two boys will start fighting until one throws a tantrum or starts bawling. Still, he appreciated the effort.

"Good," he said as he pat Naruto's head. "I'm going to immediately, so tell Mikoto-san thank you for me."

Naruto grabbed his leg once he stood up properly.

"Obi-nii better come back," was all Naruto said before running out of the room.

Naruto was a reminder to why he fought, a perfect mix between two people he cared so much about, the people who never gave up on him.

"Of course, I will," he said to himself before disappearing and leaving a small trail smoke behind.

* * *

"You called me out here just so you could preach bullshit? What do you want, Danzo?"

"Hardly the tone I expected from you, Uchiha-kun. Tell me, is it because you've been spending so much time with the outcast from your clan, or is it because of the traitor."

Danzo had a calm expression but there was an edge to his voice. It was a warning, but try as Shisui might, he couldn't help but go against it.

He was a mouse in a lion's den, the ROOT members encircling him should've given him more reason to want to escape, but he was a proud Uchiha, one that did not run from battle.

Shisui smirked. "You've got to be more specific than that. In technicality, Itachi would be considered an outcast as well and I haven't seen him for more than a week. Besides, you're the only traitor I see here."

His smug look faltered slightly at the twitch of Danzo's grip on his cane. It was a new, he realised. No longer wooden and instead metallic.

"It seems you have forgotten my status in this village, or rather, this situation. We're alone at an abandoned ground, daytime or not, no one will come here. As a prodigy, you should know what I'm implying, yes?"

Shisui's eyes darted to the side, as much as he hated to admit it, Danzo was right.

He was standing in the middle of a training ground people barely used as the place was rigged with landmines, a remnant of what was once a chunin exam area. Danzo stood in front of him, condescending as ever, talking about saving Konoha and how he could lend a hand by joining forces with him.

A ninja stood on each side of Danzo, the same ones who accompanied him on a mission, their names long forgotten because he was too occupied trying to piece together why Danzo, the man who openly opposed the Uchiha, wanted his help. Obito made it clear to him, he didn't.

The ninjas, at Danzo's side and the ones surrounding him, all stood with their hands behind their back. A squad he could take out with ease, but what seemed like an entire division? He needed backup.

"My clan already noticed my disappearance. You have no one to pin my death on."

Danzo chuckled. "You truly have underestimated me. My plan's been set in motion already, matters concerning you is merely a pebble on the path I'm walking."

"If it's so small than why an entire division? Why call me out here under false pretences if I could be taken out so easily? You want my eyes but unfortunately for you, I'm not handing them over like it's candy."

Danzo clucked his tongue and shook his head. "Don't you know the date, Uchiha-kun? Despite that halfwit's attempt to keep me from finding out, I know that Fugaku is supposed to be back in the village by tomorrow. The infamous Team Rou still haven't made an appearance yet, I wonder, perhaps they ran into a trouble on their mission? If they were on a mission that is, confidential information was what I was told."

Shisui activated his sharingan. He wasn't planning on doing it, despite how he itched for a fight he knew that his chances of winning was too low, but Danzo struck a nerve. A nerve he wish he didn't have because all logic flew out the window.

"What. Did. You. Do?" Each word was punctuated with his voice growing deeper. An almost animalistic growl nearly escaped his lips, forbidden territory was stepped on.

"Join me, Uchiha-kun. Your rank will be high in ROOT, much higher than what you have now. There are no more restrictions against you, everything holding you back is gone."

Shisui clutched at his pouch on his pants. He swallowed, what was he going to do?

He could barely control his body, he was moving forward, and he couldn't understand why. He should be turning around, thinking of a plan to get away, not inching towards making an already dire situation worse.

 _Danzo's lying, he's lying, it can't be true. ROOT can't take out Fugaku, they can't beat Rou. Itachi… he's alive, he's alive, he's alive!_ Shisui's mind was screaming at him, but he wasn't listening.

The only thing he felt was rage, Danzo took away what his treasured. His best friend, his family, his hope for never being lonely again was gone. All because of Danzo.

"Damn you!" he screamed as he ran towards the man he hated.

Ninjas were running at him, pulling out weapons, weaving hand signs, but it was merely a background aesthetic for him.

He weaved his own hand signs, his speed increased so much there were more than double of him. Ninjas came at him, he flipped them over, using his short stature to his advantage. He dodged the weapons flung at him with beautiful elegance, he was an Uchiha, war ran through his veins.

He was running on adrenaline, he couldn't stop even if his chest heaved in pain.

A ninja wearing an owl mask performed a jutsu that allowed him to seep into the ground and then reappear before Shisui in solid form. Shisui delivered a double flying kick to him and used the ninja's head as a steppingstone to fling carefully aimed kunai at the ninjas running to either side of them.

One came at him with a katana, expertly slashing through the air and even managed to chop some of his hair off, but Shisui leaned his body backwards, arms stretched behind him, and kicked, knocking the katana out of the ninja's hand, and flipping backwards.

Without skipping a beat, he moved his hands and sucked in a breath. Releasing a blow, he spun around and watched as the fire that filled his lungs unleashed unto the men surrounding him.

Shisui lifted himself off the ground in a spinning kick as a water vortex jutsu nearly knocked him over. A shuriken found itself moved from Shisui's ouch and skilfully thrown square in the face of the assailant.

He stopped himself to catch his breath and assess the chaos around him. Bodies, he counted ten, lay sprawled out on the field. Some were covered in burns, others were wincing in pain or unconscious. One, he realised, was no longer breathing.

The shuriken he had thrown knocked the ninja's crane mask off to the side, the man had cuts and bruises littered all across his face. The impact of the throw and Shisui's previous fighting must've cut the final strings of the man's life.

He turned his head way, he wasn't going to blame himself for the death. It was self-defence, even if a small part of him felt triumphant of his win. There was more to ROOT than meets the eye, Danzo's hold on them was more than simply that of a faction leader.

Danzo had left with the men who stood by his side earlier. He was being baited, it was a ploy to tire him out before they played their hand. It was far too late though, there was no other route for him take.

His vision was blurry, but he could make out Danzo clearly. He was standing on the furthest side of the training ground under the shade of a tree.

"I'm sorry," he apologised to the injured ninjas before walking off.

Each step he took hurt, his body was screaming at him to stop but he wasted enough time. Danzo would be defeated even he was going to die in the end.

"You have so much potential. Why waste it?" Danzo asked him once he reached the tree.

"Cut the crap, Danzo. My fight against that division was just to tire me out, even if I'm exhausted your head's mine."

Danzo smiled, it scared Shisui when he realised it was genuine. "We could have made the village great together. It's a shame only your eyes will witness that future."

"Why are you doing this, why are you toying with people's live, how is this what's best for Konoha?!" He expected a reaction, any reaction, but Danzo did nothing but smile.

"Pathetic. Trying to get me to talk while you think of a plan to escape. I'm not a fool, Uchiha-kun."

"And neither am I, _Danzo-dono_. Unlike you, I'm not a coward. A man so caught up in the fact that he's nothing but a shadow to a great existence!"

Danzo laughed hysterically. " _Hiruzen Sarutobi_ , a great existence? He's the reason why your clan is a shell of what it once was. He's a weakling, a puppet on a string, he knows that I've deceived him and yet he still trusts me."

"I'm not talking about the Hokage, if anything, I can't stand him any more than I can you."

Danzo's visible brow raised. "Then who?"

"Konoha. You control the shadows while the rest of us have a place in the sun. Everything you have against me, my clan, Hokage-sama, it's jealousy because you want to be acknowledged and no one is giving it to you. It isn't enough to be respected when there's someone above you, someone more accomplished, more loved, wanted more than you could ever be."

Danzo pursed his lips and nodded. "You're nothing but an Uchiha mumbling about inconsequential things. I'm sure your friends had the same thought process before they died."

Danzo took a step back as the ninjas next to him unsheathed their katanas. "Farewell, Shisui Uchiha. Your eyes will be in great care."

Shisui took a stance and drew out his last weapon, a simple kunai. He had more than enough chakra to activate his sharingan, use his strong jutsus, but he knew it wasn't enough to beat the ninjas in front of him.

He saw them fight when they were on a mission together. Their teamwork was unmatched, something he wished he and Itachi could have achieved together. Still, he wasn't giving up.

He took out a division, ten of what he was sure were some of the strongest ROOT had to offer, and they wouldn't be in operation anytime soon. At the very least, he bought Team Rou and Obito time to act against them because there was no way he would believe that Danzo had taken them out.

Shisui broke out in a run, dodging and imitating the techniques his opponents were using but he was too slow. There wasn't time to weave a sign because as soon he the upper hand of one, the other would attack him from behind.

Slowly, his vision was turning black. He was hit with the hilt of a katana in the back of his head. Shisui was certain that if pain wasn't as blinding as it felt or if he had even a bit more energy, he would've laughed at the irony of such a simple move taking an Uchiha prodigy out.

He heard that when you died, your life flashes before your eyes, yet he couldn't see anything. Either he wasn't actually dying, and he was just imagining someone prepare themselves to slash his head off or he lived a life doing nothing noteworthy that he couldn't bring himself to think about it. Shisui was hoping it was the former.

Before he could close his eyes though, he was certain he heard voices so annoying that it could only belong to Konoha's resident comedic duo, not to be confused with Genma and Raidou, Konoha's resident idiot duo or Kakashi and Gai, Konoha's resident annoying duo.

_I'm probably about to die and this is what I'm think about? Kami, I'm messed up._

"Fucking hell, Teme, you just had to show up and steal the spotlight, didn't you?"

"I got here first, Baka! Is this how you treat me after not seeing me for so long, huh?"

"I'd rather not see you at all. Kami, here I thought you died or something. My luck's always bad."

"Huh?! What's that supposed to mean? Let me guess, you couldn't do shit without me, right?"

"Obviously not moron! I was bored out of my fucking mind."

_No, it's definitely them. Did they seriously barge into a fight and start arguing among themselves? At least help me first, damn it._

"Sorry about them. They're idiots after all."

"Itachi?" he managed to say. _Why can't I open my eyes?_

"We saw what you did to ROOT. Taicho had this odd look on his face, proud but mostly angry. He and Obito-san will take care of this."

He fought to stay conscious. "What about Danzo?"

"Tou-san is handling him."

"Every…everyone's alive?"

"For the most part, yes. Rest, Shisui, Taicho and Obito-san will have my head if I don't take you somewhere safe. I'll explain everything once you wake up."

Shisui tried his best to open his eyes, he needed to know that he was not hearing things, that the people he cared about so dearly really was by his side. His eyes widened only a fraction, but it was enough.

He didn't know when he fell backwards or when Itachi put his head on his lap, what he did know was that fate dealt finally dealt him a favourable hand.

"I feel like shit," he mumbled before everything turned completely to black.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This *will* officially be the last chapter of Altered Reality posted until my other multi-chapter is up. Not that far to go, only two more chapters and then Naruhina will officially have a place on my profile.
> 
> Now, we got a sneak peak into Itachi's role as a leader (guys you have no clue how important Itachi will be after the timeskip arc *hint* it's got something to do with being hokage). So much happened in this chapter, it's insane.
> 
> So this is how the layout looks: one more chapter of this, then council meeting, omake/birthday chapter and beginning of Uchiha clan revolt. Again, if you want updates sooner, hit the kudos button and leave a review. It's mutual benefits guys, you review sparking my writing and I post.


	23. A Life Without You Isn't the Same

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So happy to announce that My Escape - a Naruhina multichapter fic will be published later this week. I'm extremely proud of it guys, so when I do publish it, please go and read it!
> 
> I'm busy on the second arc of Altered Reality so if there's any characters you guys want to be introduced please let me know. The entire Rookie 9/Konoha 12 will be in it as well familiar characters that were introduced in the first run of Naruto. The second arc will be following the same order as the Naruto anime only with a different backstory for Sasuke and Naruto. So let me know if there's any characters (that aren't popular/characters that didn't get a lot of screentime) that you want me to write for.

Fugaku Uchiha gripped the katana in his hand. The man he was facing was the same man who had openly opposed his clan and did everything he could to incriminate the Uchiha. All that, Fugaku was willing to forgive by killing the man as humanely as possible. The one thing he could not forgive however, was the fact that Danzo Shimura tried to kill his son.

Danzo would regret the day he'd tried to make an enemy out of him, he'd regret the day he tried to assassinate Team Rou and he'd regret ever thinking that he, Fugaku Uchiha, was a man easily led astray. Danzo stepped on a landmine when he tried to harm Itachi.

"You Uchihas are nothing but brutes, jumping headfirst into a battle without considering the consequences your choices will have."

"And what of you, Shimura? You should know better than anyone else that our eyes aren't simply tools we use to copy techniques."

Danzo smirked. "You admit it then? The Uchiha are nothing but thieves, a cursed clan bent on destroying Konoha's name."

Fugaku raised his katana and pointed it towards Danzo. "My clan, Shimura, are warriors, descendants from the great Sage of Six Paths himself. We've never been innocent, I don't claim us to be, but Shimura, you will eat your words."

Danzo shrugged off his robe and lifted his steel cane, holding it like a bo. "The village has no place for you," he said and launched at Fugaku.

* * *

_Three days earlier_

Hidden deep within a forest in an unknown location was a campsite. Two tents were put up and a fire burnt as four people sat around it, the sanctuary was silent.

In one of the tents, a man laid on his back, unable to move because of two reasons. First, he was injured and second, he was struggling to comprehend what had come out of one of his companions' mouths.

Kakashi and Itachi kneeled on either side of a bedridden Fugaku. It had been a day after the confrontation with ROOT and the clan leader was confined to a bed until he healed completely, neither Team Rou nor Fugaku's team were willing to take no for an answer.

Fugaku faced Kakashi on his left.

His voice was hoarse, a result of his previous fight. "Are you saying, Hatake-kun, that everything up until now has been the work of Danzo Shimura?"

Kakashi nodded. "Save for the night your team was attacked, unfortunately yes. Fugaku-sama, I know this is the last thing you want to hear, especially from me, but please, you cannot allow your clan to go through with the revolt."

Fugaku's shot up from his futon. He turned to Itachi with wide eyes as his son struggled to sit him back down.

Itachi lowered his head. "I'm sorry, Otou-san. I c-couldn't allow the clan to do this, Taicho and the rest of Team Rou knows." He paused as he took a shaky breath. "I-I know that I've betrayed our family and-and your trust, but I can't let Konoha burn because of prejudice. Forgive me, Otou-san!"

Itachi dropped his head on Fugaku's chest, sobbing into it. Kakashi turned his own head away from the scene in front of him, he was an outsider and had no right to intrude further than he already had.

Fugaku inhaled as he raised his eyes to the heavens. He combed his free hand through Itachi's hair, exhaling as he did so.

"Raise your head." He repeated his words after Itachi refused, shaking his head and burrowing it further into the now tear-soaked blanket. "Itachi, raise your head."

He groaned when he still did not receive any response. Fugaku pulled at Itachi's hair, causing the boy to jerk.

Fugaku chuckled. "I'm not upset, I should be, but I'm not. Actually, I'm rather glad-" he turned his head to once again face Kakashi "-that you told Hatake-kun. You've protected my son, thank you."

Kakashi rubbed the back of his neck. "Protected is a strong word, considering I've technically put him in a lot more danger than he should be, but I'll take it. You're not, er, planning on punishing us or anything, are you?"

"Depends. If my son, who's still crying even after I told him not to worry about it- Itachi will you get up? Can look me in the eyes, then perhaps I will consider it. You being safe from punishment, that is."

Slowly, Itachi lifted his head. Kakashi coughed, silently thanking the fact that his mask muffled the soft 'aww' he let out at Itachi's appearance. Itachi had started to look more like the child he was than the shinobi he was made out to be, what with a small pout and red, teary eyes.

"You're not angry?" he asked quietly.

"At myself and at our clan, yes, but not at you. You've become more childish, human-like, since joining ANBU. I was worried that your promotion would stun your growth even further, especially with the rumours of you becoming a captain yourself." He paused to take a steady breath. "I've regretted showing you the aftermaths of the war, you were too young, and it started a chain reaction of things Mikoto will never forgive me for. I was too weak, both as a father and a leader. I'm sorry, Itachi."

"Otou-" Itachi began but was interrupted by Kakashi.

"Now, now, _Otou-san_. Do you _really_ have the right to say that? I mean sure your taking Ita-chan here to see a bunch of dead bodies was fucked up, to say the least, but my father _killed_ himself in the room next to mine. Having shitty parents is a requirement for being a shinobi, the best man I knew gave up his and his son's life in exchange for the village."

Kakashi got up from his kneeling position and moved to Itachi, knocking his junior on the head with his fist.

"If you hadn't done that, I wouldn't have Ita-chan on my team, Rou would be a shitty squad made up of even shittier people, we wouldn't have gone on a mission that caused all of us to be off duty, that damn Obito wouldn't have been late to mission _he_ insisted on going on." Kakashi scowled at the memory, not that anyone could see, then eye-smiled at before continuing.

"And I wouldn't have the greatest gift Kami, for some reason, decided to give me. Point is, Fugaku-sama, Itachi's alive and so is your clan. It's not too late to stop this, we _will_ win."

Itachi sniffed and opened his mouth to reply but Kakashi put a hand on his shoulder.

Fugaku pursed his lips. "I see. Your ability to change the subject and challenge my authority is one to be commended. Itachi will be guided correctly if he is in your care."

"Believe me, Fugaku-sama, I was guided by Itachi. Team Rou isn't complete without all its members, we can never be replaced, but Itachi's the heart. He keeps us strong, he's younger and far more talented and worthy of this world than any of us. Allow me to see his growth even further. I'll be his father when you are unable to and his brother when he becomes lonely and overwhelmed, even his friend when he needs reassurance. All of Rou feels this way so please, Fugaku-sama."

Kakashi kneeled down and bowed his head nearly all the way down to the ground. Itachi stared at his captain in shock.

"Very well," Fugaku said. "Itachi will be in your care until he becomes strong enough to be on his own, in exchange I would like to know everything about what's going on."

Kakashi lifted himself up. "It's a long story."

"I've got the time, Hatake-kun."

Meanwhile, outside the tent sat four ninjas around a fire. Their porcelain masks were pushed to the back of their heads as there were no one, excepting the two recuperating Uchiha, around to see their unmasked identities; Tekka and Yakumi went out scouting.

They sat on wooden logs surrounding the flame, two on each one. Hayate brought his knees to his chest and hugged them, trying but ultimately failing at hiding his cough. Next to him, Raidou sat with his body slouched forwards as he picked at his nails and tapped his left foot in irregular patterns.

Tenzou, who sat across from them on the second log, stared into fire unblinking. Genma looked at his teammates, eyes twitching when no one said anything to him. He took a senbon out of his pouch, placed it between his lips, chewed on it once, then twice, before spitting it into the fire.

"Yes, Genma?" Tenzou asked, eyes still trained on the fire.

He let out a frustrated cry. "How is this mission so fucking long? We've been at it for days and have achieved nothing! You-you guys don't even seem to be bothered."

"That's because we're all tired and hungry and conserving our energy. You should try it sometime, quite therapeutic if you ask me. Besides, I'd have thought you of all people would've enjoyed beating ROOT to a pulp."

Genma sneered. "That's exactly why I feel so shitty. They barely put up a fight, the way Taicho was acting made it seem like we were about to die. Naru-chan had more steam than them."

"I quite liked my fight, though. Perhaps it was only yours that didn't seem enjoyable?"

Raidou nodded. "Yeah, it wasn't the worst fight we've been in, but Hayate and I didn't find it too bad. We actually had to do some kind of combo move to get the guy down."

"She, Raidou. Quite a shame she refused to talk, I wanted to at least know her name since she was probably the best fight I had in a while."

"Ah, yes, yes." Raidou adjusted himself to face Hayate properly. "Speaking of, you and Yugao still fighting?"

Hayate lifted his face from under his arms and pouted. "We got this mission before I could properly apologise. I hope she doesn't break up with me after this."

Genma scowled at them. "We're in the middle of fucking nowhere, might be hunted down by ROOT, we're running out of food, and you're worried about whether your _girlfriend_ plans on breaking up with you?"

"Says the guy throwing a hissy fit because he didn't get the fight he wanted. Fuck off, Genma. You're not the only one wanting to leave." Raidou got up and balled his fists.

Standing up and kicking sand into the fire, Genma faced Raidou with equal animosity. "You're the last person I want to hear that shit from."

Before either of them could make another move, Tenzou reached into his pouch, pulled out a kunai and flung it at Raidou, the weapon tore through his shirt and grazed him lightly on the side of his chest. At the same time, he swept his foot under Genma's causing his friend to fall face first onto the ground.

"Will the both of you grow up?! _Neither_ of you understand the situation we're in. Our mission was supposed to end last week but instead here we are. Senpai gave you an instruction before we left to lure in ROOT, did _any_ of you actually follow through with it?"

"They wouldn't talk, Tenzou. When we interrogated them, they became paralyzed," Hayate answered.

"So you just killed them." Tenzou bit his lip and nodded. "None of you bothered to check the bodies before burning them. That was not suspicious to you at all?"

Genma groaned as he pulled himself up. "Obviously. Itachi said we should check his mouth since he only became paralysed once he opened his trap. Though he somehow bit it off, bastard killed himself before I could. Are all ROOT members fucked in the head?"

Tenzou gave him a long look before answering. "Just the ones who think Danzo's worth following." He ran a hand through his hair. "Look, it's Senpai's call to tell you guys but everything's a mess already."

"Tell us what? This…doesn't have to do with Taicho's illness, right?"

Tenzou shook his head at Raidou's question. "Danzo's not connected, I've got a feeling he knows about it and Taicho just hasn't told us, but no. I trust you guys, with my life, so please after this just-just try to see us in the same light."

Genma rolled his eyes but said nothing.

"The mission Raidou was sent on to guard the Hokage was the same mission Senpai was given, except by Danzo. Senpai was to kill him and leave no trace behind, he changed his allegiance before that, but he was part of ROOT…and so was I. We both betrayed the Hokage once, then did the same to Danzo."

Raidou blinked. "I'm sorry, what did you just say?"

Tenzou averted his gaze and turned his back to them. "It wasn't exactly the proudest moments of our lives. It was mostly my fault, I followed Danzo blindly and led Senpai straight to him-" his breath hitched. "Fuck! So much could've been avoided if I'd just listen."

The team was silent, only the cicadas and the fire's crackles could be heard. Raidou opened his mouth to speak but shut almost immediately when he realised he couldn't as he didn't know what to say. Genma, who was closest to Tenzou looked past their vice-captain's back and shook his head at Raidou and shrugged.

Hayate, who had been keeping quiet the entire time, coughed and sat up properly. He cringed at the sound of his own bones cracking as he stretched.

"Raidou's obsessed with dying a 'perfect death' and is stupid to fault, Genma's the embodiment of a cliché side character, I'm a risk both mentally and physically because of my health, and Itachi's just…himself. Point is, Tenz, you and Taicho being part of the organization after us and somehow duping _both_ Danzo and the Hokage, is expected. Team Rou's as fucked up as they come – that's what makes us who we are."

Tenzou turned around with widened eyes. "You-you really think that?"

Hayate coughed but his small smile didn't go unnoticed. Raidou bumped Hayate's shoulder, nearly pushing him over the log.

"Obviously, if we changed our view on you guys that easily this team would've been dead a long time ago."

"Of course," Genma began as he swept his foot under Tenzou's, snickering when he successfully paid him back for the previous 'gift'. "Once this is all over, you, Taicho and Itachi all owe us explanations for literally everything that's happened these past few months. Seriously, so much has happened I don't even know where to start."

"How about pulling yourselves together because like it or not, we've still got a mission to complete."

Four heads turned to the owner of the voice.

"Taicho!"

"Senpai!" they said simultaneously.

Kakashi leaned back and put his hands on his hips as he gave one long exaggerated sigh. "Glad you guys got your spirit back. Do you know how much noise you've been making? Man, I was so embarrassed. My past being outed like that, in front of Itachi and Fugaku no less, Tenzou you've really got no filter."

"Senpai-" Kakashi put his hand up.

"Don't bother, I'm not angry. Or rather, I've haven't got the right. What's important now is that you guys know we were part of ROOT, that's how Tenzou and I met. Itachi came afterwards, when we went changed allegiance and Rou was formed, then you guys. Quite fitting, I think."

Kakashi nodded at himself. He clapped his hands. "Right! Now that that's outta the way, what you've got to ask?"

They stared back at him blankly. Kakashi facepalmed.

"The dragon mask, the ninjas we fought, why I let you write that note for Danzo, why the hell things are happening. Are we seriously that far gone that you just accept things the way they are?"

"Weird things tend to happen to us all the time." The rest of the guys murmured in agreement with Genma's statement.

"Never mind that! Just pretend that things actually bother you and ask me questions damn it!"

"Taicho, your uselessness is showing."

Kakashi's eye twitched. He turned around, fists read. "Oi-"

"Tenzou-san, you look pathetic laying on the ground like that, get up. Raidou-san, your voice is too loud, shut up. Genma-san, fix yourself, you're covered in dirt. Hayate-san, sit up straight, your posture's just annoying me. And Taicho-" Itachi pointed at Kakashi with a devious smirk on his face. "-don't forget I'm in charge now."

"You're what now?" Genma asked, then slapped himself after he noticed he was doing exactly what Itachi told him to.

"My father knows everything that we've been doing. Thankfully, he forgave my behaviour and will allow me to continue being part of this team, and will even aid us. However, he wants to test our competency and by extension, mine. As such, I have taken over his position as leader for his team and Taicho has made me temporary leader of Rou."

"Senpai! You can't be serious, Itachi-Itachi's- if anything, I should be leader!"

"Just go with it," Kakashi muttered.

He didn't want Tenzou to push his embarrassment even further. After Tenzou shouted his confession of being part of ROOT, the trust Fugaku had in him decreased. He sputtered out that he left that life behind and proposed that Itachi take over as leader to prove that Team Rou wouldn't double cross him.

Kakashi felt ashamed of the memory. He just blurted out what came to mind and when he looked at Fugaku grinning victoriously, he knew he was pressured into saying something stupid.

"Coming back to the problem at hand, I'd say a team meeting is in order.

Raidou snorted. "You're enjoying ordering us around, aint'cha?"

Itachi glared at him and let out a small fraction of killer intent. "I thought I told you to shut up."

Raidou clamped his mouth immediately. Itachi rolled his eyes at the questioning stares he was receiving.

"We don't have time to waste. In three days, Otou-san is supposed to be back home. Considering ROOT attacked both our teams, Danzo definitely knows about our missions. The note and mask we left was our way of saying that we're on to him and that we won't be killed easily. Danzo most likely sent his best operatives after us, that's why Tekka and Yakumi are scouting."

Hayate frowned. "Ano, shouldn't we be more worried by Danzo sending ROOT's best?"

Itachi bit his lip. "Partly, yes. If Danzo sends ROOT's best after us, whoever's left back in Konoha won't be much of a threat. It works out in Obito's favour as he's monitoring Shisui and ROOT's movements."

Kakashi nodded. "The reason I let Genma and Itachi write the note was so we could aggravate Danzo. The dragon mask was just to add insult to injury; before we killed him, Tenzou managed to get information out of him."

"How'd you get that right? They'd end up paralysed as soon as they got a word out," Genma asked.

"Cursed Tongue Eradication Seal. It's a seal Danzo puts on each ninja under him; once the inks on your tongue you end up paralysed if you mention anything incriminating related to Danzo or ROOT. Asking in round about ways while the ninja's incapacitated gets the job done," Tenzou answered.

"We could've gotten more info had you guys used your brains before snuffing them out. You're babysitting Naruto after this as punishment for complaining even though you didn't follow my instructions, Genma."

Genma's mouth fell open but Itachi cut in. "You could've told us about the seal instead of hinting it at us, Taicho. Though Genma's whining is annoying."

"Just wait a sec-"

"I forgot, alright? And so did Tenzou!"

Raidou giggled at Genma being ignored but hid it as a cough when Itachi glared at him again.

Itachi clicked his tongue. "Moving on, Taicho, you mentioned getting info out of Dragon."

Kakashi sat down on the log. "You guys better all sit down for this one. Danzo's more of a conniving bastard than we give him credit for."

"His end goal isn't just getting rid of the Uchiha and becoming Hokage like we thought. It's taking complete control over Konoha, in simple terms, making it a dictatorship."

"Isn't Konoha already a dictatorship, though? Sandaime-sama has the last say in everything so isn't his word basically the law?" Raidou asked.

"Konoha's political system changes if you examine all its individual elements. We form part of Fire Country and higher than the Hokage is the Daimyo, so in a way we're part of a feudalist system. But we have nearly complete reign over our domestic rule, so in technicality, we're a semi-autonomous state. Then again, if you look further into which system we follow, it's actually any of a variety. Military dictatorship as a result of feudalism, yet indirect democracy because of a council of jounin that decides the next Hokage."

Raidou blinked at the answer Kakashi gave him.

"What Senpai is trying to say is that Konoha for some reason tries to follow more than one political system and Danzo wants it to follow one. One where _he's_ the sole decider of what happens."

"And you got _all_ of this through round about questions while the guy was injured on top of it?"

Tenzou stuck his tongue out. "I'm cool like that."

He earned himself a shove from Kakashi and lighter atmosphere when the group began to laugh, though it didn't last long.

"That's not all, is it Taicho?" Itachi said once the amusement died down.

Kakashi sighed. "No. We managed to piece together Danzo's goal from interrogating Dragon, but what's worse was actually said as a slip of the tongue. Danzo knows about the coup and the reason he was trying to get Itachi promoted to ANBU captain was to alienate him further from the Uchiha."

"The clan already mistrusts my judgement because of how close I am to the Hokage so if I were to be a captain, the gap would only widen."

"Dragon also mentioned you losing all trust in everyone once Rou was taken out. From that we can only assume one thing-"

"-Danzo plans on framing me for your deaths," Itachi quietly finished for Kakashi.

All traces of the previously lightened atmosphere vanished.

Itachi swallowed thickly. "Taicho…"

"It's not going to happen, you won't be framed for anyone's death because NO ONE here is dying." Kakashi hit his fist against the hard wood. "Tenzou and I might have gone overboard after hearing that seeing as the mask was the only thing left of the ninja." he tried to laugh it off but stopped.

"I meant what I said in the tent, Itachi, and I mean what I try to convey before every mission. No emotion, no mission lost because we're too reckless to let our feelings control us. Rou does _not_ fail, and we _never_ will because failure means death. And like hell will any of you die while I'm your captain."

Itachi let out breath. "Arigato, Taicho, everyone."

"Don't thank us yet, Itachi, we still need a game plan. So, _captain_ , what do you have in mind?"

Itachi stood silent for a moment, taking in Kakashi's words before his eyes widened ever so slightly. He turned his head to look behind him and then glanced around at his teammates.

"Tenzou," he started quietly. "Your transformation jutsu, how many can you make before reaching your limit."

"Are you saying what I think you're saying?"

"Danzo wants to kill us, so why not let him?"

Genma laughed and stood up to ruffle Itachi's hair. He looked down at Kakashi. "Oi, Taicho, I think I'm starting to like Itachi better than you now."

"Funny thing is, Genma, so am I."

* * *

Itachi took a deep breath as he put his mask on. Both Fugaku's and his team departed, leaving just him and his father behind at an empty camp. They were on their way back to Konoha as little more than a day remained until Fugaku was expected to be back in Konoha.

Everything had been cleared, if anyone were to discover their hidden sanctuary they would not know that just a few hours prior to their arrival, a party of ten people had been camping there. There were no tell-tale signs of a fire ever being made, no indication by the rough yet level ground that tents were put up, even the animals, who had been hiding from the ninjas, returned.

They left in groups of three, first to leave was Team Rou, sans Itachi. ROOT was after them, so they were serving as a decoy to let the other groups pass without much of a hassle.

Kakashi and Genma led the pack, Tenzou in the middle, and Raidou and Hayate at the back. Should either the front or rear sense any danger, they would alert Tenzou, who would use them as a screen, and use his Wood Release: Transformation, to replicate five exact copies of them, although not as strong.

ROOT would hunt the copies while they hid in the shadows and when they'd least expect it, Team Rou would strike.

Fugaku's team left next. Team Rou was expected to smoke out ROOT so that they could make it back to the village first without using too much strength. They had been weakened from being ambushed by the enemy and Danzo's forces. The Hokage needed to be informed what happened during their mission, as such, them getting back to village was priority.

Itachi and Fugaku would leave last. Fugaku, after eating every medicine ball the camp had on hand and convincing himself that he was not unfit to fight out of pure stubbornness, was back to himself before he left for the mission two weeks prior. He did, however, have a time limit as his body would not be able to handle the strain.

He would depart with Itachi, any enemies still not taken out or bandits lurking would be unable to handle the penetrative force of two Uchihas, from the main household to boot.

Seeing as Itachi was the most vulnerable in Danzo's plan, it was decided that he would leave last as surely ROOT would try gain the upper hand by using him as their weakness. Fugaku would also be with him to ensure his safety and to monitor him.

The plan that Itachi had come up with left the camp speechless, it had its risks and weaknesses, but it amazed them how he came with it after being announced temporary captain in a short amount of time.

He, however, did not share the same view as them.

Itachi felt nauseous, a feeling he had not felt in so long. Even if it was wooden clones of his teammates running through the forest and fighting ROOT, it still left a disgusting after taste in his mouth. The simple thought of his friends' trouble put him on edge.

He jumped when he felt a hand on his shoulder but relaxed when he realised it could only be one person.

"Otou-san."

"Itachi," his father acknowledged his greeting. "Are you having doubts in your plan?"

He shook his head. "No, it will work. It's just…why does it have to be this way?"

Fugaku moved to stand by Itachi's side and nudged him.

"I don't understand why we are fighting. ROOT is just like us. Danzo, I know his rationale is sick and I hate him for what he is trying to achieve, but in his own demented way, surely he has Konoha's best interest at heart. Even if it's been clouded by his selfishness."

"I believe that we all are selfish, that everything we are doing are no less cruel than what our enemies are doing. We are shinobi, Itachi, survival is everything. Peace has no place in our world."

Itachi looked up at his father. "Will it ever?"

Fugaku smiled ruefully. "Not in my generation, maybe in for yours either, but definitely, definitely the next." he looked up at the sky and laughed. "The future, I believe, will be paved by people like you. Itachi, stay the way you are. Great things are coming your way."

Itachi nodded. "I don't fully understand, Otou-san, but I trust you. For the longest time, I think, my feelings toward you were resentment. Being part of Rou and learning from Taicho made me realise something."

"That you don't actually hate me?"

"No, my team don't like you all that much either. In fact, I think they hated you more than I did until now."

Fugaku laughed harder. "As blunt as always, Itachi. So tell me, what was it that you learnt?"

Itachi took a step forward to stand in front of Fugaku and bowed. He stopped laughing immediately and raised a brow.

"I'm happy to have you as a father. You are not perfect and have made many mistakes in my upbringing, but I know now that you only ever thought of what was best for me. The choices you made affected me in ways no one could predict and for that I'm thankful." He lifted his head and smiled so radiantly he was confident Fugaku could see it even if his face were hidden.

"Let's go out for dango when there's no longer a threat to our existence, alright?"

Fugaku ruffled his hair, pushing his head downwards. Though it didn't prevent Itachi from seeing the droplets fall down his cheeks.

"We have a deal. Now, let's be off."

With a simple promise, Fugaku walked past his son. Itachi stood stunned for a second but shook his head, and in a rare moment of childishness, he ran past Fugaku, hands behind his back and shouting gleefully.

It was peculiar; every time he had an ominous feeling something would happen, and his spirits would raise. Itachi had no right to be happy as there was nothing to be happy for, but the optimism that was slowly taking control of his judgment made him think otherwise.

In another world, one where Minato Namikaze was a second too late to save Obito, Kakashi wouldn't have been saved so easily, perhaps he wouldn't have a second thought about Naruto as he would be too grief-stricken. Maybe Team Rou wouldn't have the same members, maybe he would have been promoted to ANBU captain and maybe, just maybe, he would have listened to Danzo. He would save his village and not his family, he would sacrifice his humanity for the greater good that he would forever question and he would spend therest of his life regretting the decisions he made.

Itachi was certain that in that world he would never have a happy ending, and if he was lucky enough, perhaps some would consider him some sort of tragic hero.

But he was living in this world and he was happy. Nothing was going to prevent him from seeing a future he could be proud off.

* * *

_Present Time_

"I see. None of my men were able to take out the trash as I expected them too," Danzo said as he dodged a ligtning-induced punch from Fugaku aimed at his face.

He slid underneath Fugaku's arm, using his cane to swipe at Fugaku's feet, and delivered an elbow jab to Fugaku's back. Fugaku easily jumped over the cane and spun around to block Danzo's elbow with his free hand.

Danzo twisted his neck around and scowled at Fugaku. He used his leg to kick Fugaku in the side. Fugaku flinched and grabbed the right side of his abdomen, breathing harshly.

"You underestimated my son and his team's capability," he panted.

"Huh? Your son did nothing but delay a future that has already been decided for him. My best operatives may have been taken out, but the best ninjas in the village are still here fighting those insolent brats."

Fugaku didn't bother turning around, he could hear the shouting from the other side of the field. Kakashi and Obito were engaged in a battle with Danzo's most trusted men. He had faith that they would win, no one he had seen had better co-ordination than those two, he just prayed that Itachi managed to pull Shisui out of the danger zone in time.

He stood up straight, letting go of the katana in his hand; it was preventing him from weaving and no matter how good he was at sword fighting, he needed both hands to overwhelm Danzo.

He took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and let go of all useless thoughts. He blinked and nearly smirked when he saw the slight hesitation in Danzo's eyes. His sharingan was finally activated.

"Go to Hell, Danzo!" he shouted as he charged towards him.

He formed a tiger seal with his hands allowing multiple clones to emerge from a smoke smoke. Some of the clones threw well aimed kunai at Danzo, as he tried to dodge the weapons, a shadow clone knocked him down from behind.

Danzo rolled over and swiftly got to his feet, but it was too late. When he looked up, Fugaku was already taking a deep breath. He and a clone quickly signed snake, ram, monkey, boar, horse and tiger.

"Katon:Gōkakyū no Jutsu!"

Quickly, Danzo bit his thumb and slammed it on the ground. The great fireball, courtesy of Fugaku, was sucked into a cloud of smoke which hid his summoning, the giant tapir, Baku.

The beast didn't stay for long though as it was weak against fire and disappeared immediately. Danzo jumped forward on his hands and kicked his feet against Fugaku's chest. He clicked his tongue when instead of a weakened Fugaku he received a puff of smoke in his face.

In that moment, Fugaku sent a roundhouse kick his way, Danzo blocked his foot and delivered a palm fist to Fugaku's chest. Fugaku fumbled backwards and smirked.

"You're getting worse at this."

Danzo didn't reply and instead enhanced his cane with wind release. The metallic stick came flying towards Fugaku at a rapid speed, while he dodged it, Danzo used the body flicker technique to move his body behind Fugaku and strike at his neck.

The body disappeared and before Danzo could react, Fugaku pierced him with the katana he had abandoned. The sword went through his middle; as he fought against a sudden drowsiness, he heard a deep chuckle.

"You won't die from this," Fugaku told him as the katana twisted and a jolt of electricity surged through his body.

Danzo screamed in agony.

"You'll wake up feeling worse than ever and wishing that I killed you here. This isn't over, Shimura."

Fugaku withdrew the blade and watched in disgust as Danzo fell limp in front of him, dying the grass red.

Out of spite and pure hatred, he kicked Danzo. It wasn't his character, kicking a dying man when he's down, but he didn't care. This was the man who tried to take everything away from him.

"Pathetic."

* * *

For ANBU ninjas, even if they were a part of ROOT, Obito thought the men standing before him and Kakashi looked strange. For one, neither of them were wearing the standard animal porcelain mask and two, they just looked odd.

Dajimu had bright orange hair that hung loose past his shoulders, a square face pulled in an ugly frown and pale amber eyes with tiny black dots Obito could only assume were his pupils.

Tera was wearing some sort of mask that covered half of his face from his hairline to the bottom of his nose. His eyes were covered by goggles incorporated into the mask and on his forehead was the symbol of the Leaf, also a part of his mask. His short, spiky black hair did him no justice as it added to his frog-like appearance.

Obito's eye twitched. He wasn't supposed to think about things like that when he was engaged into a battle, especially when he wasn't the most attractive guy around. For Kami's sake, he didn't even have both of his eyes. It just unnerved him that the ninjas he was fighting looked like dorks.

He ducked when a shuriken came flying at him.

"Oi, Baka! What the hell are you doing?" Kakashi shouted at him.

Obito hit his head. _Focus, focus. There's no time to get distracted like this!_

"This fight's been dragging on for way too long. I'm starting to lose focus."

Kakashi snorted. "Like I haven't noticed." He pulled his arm back as he said this and punched Tera in the chest, sending the ninja flying a few feet away.

Obito launched himself diagonally towards the ground when Dajimu snuck behind him and released a water missile at him. He laid flat on his back, limbs spread out, and panting. Locking eyes with Kakashi, he nodded and jumped back on his feet, putting his left hand across on his right shoulder and rolling his neck.

In a flash, Kakashi was at his side. "Let's get this over and done with. I'm tired of fighting nonstop."

"Getting old, eh Kakashi?"

Kakashi knocked his shoulder into Obito's. "You're older than me, dumbass."

Obito smirked. "Then start showing me respect, asshole."

"How long you wanna bet it takes us to knock these two idiots out?"

Tera joined Dajimu's side and growled. "You think you can beat us because you're tag teaming now? Don't be stupid, it's clear which one of us is on the winning side."

" _Huh?_ Is your goggles affecting your eyesight, Frog-kun? Your boss's down, look to your right. Fugaku's on his way here with a bloodied sword."

Tera and Dajimu froze and stared with wide eyes when they realised Obito's words were true. Fugaku Uchiha was walking towards the four of them, albeit slowly, with his clothes and katana stained red. Dajimu stuck out his tongue.

"He's not dead," Tera said.

"'Course he isn't. You really think _Fugaku Uchiha_ would just kill him after what everything he's done? I don't care if that bastard brainwashed you into thinking what you're doing is right, each one of you ROOT members that thinks _this_ is normal can burn in Hell for all I care."

Kakashi eyed Dajimu wearily as the orange-haired ninja balled his fists.

"You don't know what you're talking about. If anything, Friend-Killer Kakashi, you're worse than us. We know what we're doing, you on the other hand- you just bring misery to people around you."

Obito took a step forward but Kakashi held his arm out. Obito felt a chill run down his spine when he noticed the look on Kakashi's face, a look that made him grateful that he and Kakashi were allies. The murderous intent leaking out of Kakashi nearly caused Obito to stumble, he could only imagine what their adversaries were thinking.

"Believe me, I know," was all he said but it was enough for Tera and Dajimu to take a step back.

Kakashi's forehead protected was pulled up, his sharingan eye on full display. Obito stayed silent for a moment before sighing.

He pushed Kakashi's arm away and gave him a thumbs up, his own sharingan activated.

"Let's finish this and meet up with everyone…and uh, welcome back."

Kakashi nodded. "Hai."

Running at full speed, Kakashi and Obito took off, eager to meet Tera and Dajimu in the middle.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter required so much research, you wouldn't believe it. For one, I forgot who Danzo's henchmen were (this is what happens when you only proof read weeks later T_T) and had to do an extensive google search because there's so many unimportant Naruto side characters Google can't even keep up. Also, just what the hell is Konoha's political system - I swear Raidou was me when I tried to comprehend what I read.
> 
> Credits to 'keepyourpantsongohan' on tumblr for her amazing analysis of Konoha's political system (check her blog out cause her blog is super amazing - especially if you're a super Naruto fan like myself)
> 
> Anyways, guys please read and review because like I said previously, it's mutual benefits. Your reviews really do make a difference in my writing and it's honestly the best feeling when you get feedback on your writing piece. Meaning, I'll write faster because I feel more motivated and updates will be more frequent. Plus, it's fun replying to reviews.


	24. An Unlikely Partnership

Two days past since Team Rou and the Uchiha returned to the Leaf and Hiruzen Sarutobi could not have been more frustrated.

In addition to Team Rou being exceptionally late in their return to the village, they also caused a number of problems on their journey back. Or more specifically, they instigated a number of events that not only took out half of ROOT's forces, but also led to Danzo being critically hospitalized, two of his henchmen being paralysed and put in a holding cell while they waited to be questioned, nine other ninjas who worked under him in custody, and one dead.

He had himself to blame as well, exactly what was he hoping for when he tried to threaten Rou into completing a mission without causing some kind of mess? He should have known than normal tactics would never have worked with a squad as off the rocker as Rou.

The Hokage buried his face in his hands, groaning. His desk was stacked with even more paperwork than usual. Each stack was organised by his assistant in order of importance and wouldn't the tallest of the lot be a pile of complaints, suggestions and outright threats of physical harm directed at him written by the Uchiha.

Never in his life had he wanted to throttle someone more than Fugaku Uchiha when he waltzed into his office, just before sunset, bloodied and proud. Danzo was laying unconscious and bleeding half to death at an abandoned training ground when he and a few other ninjas arrived at the scene. They found Kakashi and Obito high-fiving over two knocked out ROOT members, ten bodies scattered around, one of which was dead.

He was shocked to say the least, by both the situation and its details. That night had been his longest and toughest working day in a while, nearly four years to be specific.

In the interrogation room, he learnt from the members of Team Rou (who had each appeared mysteriously just as Kakashi and Obito were forced to enter the room) all the details regarding Danzo and his plans, their provocations directed at ROOT, and why the mission took much longer than expected. Though Hiruzen still suspected they were leaving something out, even with Ibuki Morino with them.

Once Rou left the room, the Uchiha told their version of what happened regarding everything from the first day of their mission to the last. Once again, Hiruzen felt like something was being left out.

He did have to thank them, however because he had to admit that Tean Rou made his life and duties somewhat easier. Still, he wished that they did something more to the book. He may have more than enough evidence to rid Danzo of his status and once and for all destroy ROOT, but the biggest hurdle was to overcoming was the impact of Danzo's actions.

"Are you finally ready to tell me what you have been hiding, Kakashi?" he asked the silver-haired ninja when he entered the office through the window.

"Actually, Hokage-sama, I've come with news regarding Danzo. Besides, you already know everything." Kakashi hopped down from the windowpane and stood with his hands behind his back in front of the Hokage's desk.

"You didn't mention anything about the Uchiha's plans, nor did you mention your health."

Kakashi eye-smiled. "I didn't mention the Uchiha because you already know all there is to know and my health… Rou doesn't know yet either. The real question, Hokage-sama, is why Danzo knew about it. I thought it was confidential."

The Hokage gave him a long look. "How long have you known?"

"Danzo was certain about being able to frame Itachi for a reason that _I'm_ certain wasn't that ROOT would be able to kill me. Dragon, the ninja Tenzou and I fought, mentioned something that rubbed me the wrong way. Tenzou suspects something but he won't say anything until he knows exactly."

"I see. Are you furious?"

"Amazingly so, Hokage-sama. I can barely contain the amount of hatred I feel for you now."

He looked at the Hokage and sharpened his voice. "Danzo finding out was part of your plan to seek him out. He was one step ahead of you and planned better than expected. While Rou was out of the village and Obito and Shisui were working on monitoring them you were in your office doing nothing."

"There wasn't anything I could do, Kakashi. Danzo's political position was too vulnerable and I had no solid evidence against him."

Kakashi shook his head. "What would you have done if Danzo succeeded? I would have fallen apart and Itachi would have taken the blame. You're making excuses, Hokage-sama."

Hiruzen gave an exasperated sigh. "Will you tell me the news of Danzo's health, or will you continue to rub salt on the wound?"

Kakashi purposefully took his time to answer. "He's awake, unfortunately not well enough to witness the council meeting tomorrow, but awake, nonrtheless."

Hiruzen nodded. "One more thing before you leave. When do you plan on seeing Naruto?"

Kakashi only answered before he opened the door. "Right now."

* * *

"Oji-chan, why are you mad?" Naruto asked with a tilt of his head.

Mikoto laughed into her hand and Itachi simply smiled at his question.

"I am not mad, and I told you not to call me that. Why are you still here?"

Fugaku nearly fell backwards when a dog barked at him.

"Watch your tone, Uchiha-san. Pup is a guest in your home, and you will do well in treating him so."

"Now, now, Bisuke. Otou-san didn't mean anything harmful by his question, he just struggles to communicate gently."

Bisuke huffed. "Whatever, Itachi."

Fugaku stared disbelievingly at the sight in front of him. He was sitting at the head of his dining table, Itachi to his right with Sasuke sitting in his lap, and Mikoto to his left with Naruto in her lap. Directly across from him, sat three of Kakashi's ninken, Bisuke, Guruko and Akino.

The dogs scowled at him, Mikoto was laughing at the entire situation, Itachi was smiling as he fed an elated and surprisingly quiet Sasuke, and Naruto conyinued to look at him confusedly.

Fugaku hung his head. When he finally arrived at home, he expected a joyful welcome back with Mikoto tackling him into a hug, punching him poorly while scolding him for taking so long to return. Sasuke would shyly stand at the door and mumble something that resembled 'I missed you'. Except, he got none of that.

Mikoto screeched when she saw him and forced him to fix himself in the bathroom otherwise he'd traumatise the children. He went along with it despite being confused because Itachi was already a ninja and Sasuke would eventually come to see him in that state. He nearly pouted when he saw her proceed to hug Itachi tightly instead.

It was only when he reached the bathroom that he realised his home was eerily quiet. Usually, Sasuke would be screaming about something or the other and would only calm down if he saw Itachi. His youngest son had yet to make an appearance.

Fugaku ignored the urge to check Sasuke's room in case he was sleeping as his son would start screaming, Mikoto would start screaming at _him_ , and Itachi would be left to deal with the situation because Kami decided that Itachi would be the most sensible person in their household.

When he left the bathroom feeling refreshed and looking good-as-new (thankfully the medical ninjas at the ANBU headquarters did enough for him so he didn't need to go to hospital) he screamed blue murder.

Looking up at him with the most fascinated of expression was a child smaller and scrawnier than Sasuke. He had large, cerulean eyes, golden hair and three whisker-like birthmarks on each cheek. Fugaku had no doubt that the boy he was staring at was the son of Minato Namikaze.

"Dear, I asked you a question." Mikoto said, interrupting his thoughts.

"Huh? Oh, can you, uh, repeat what you said?"

"I wanted to know what you are going to do about tomorrow."

Itachi stopped feeding Sasuke to look at him. Fugaku rested his head on his hand and let out a long breath.

"My response will be yes if you're asking what I think you are. The result will be the same either way since the meeting is nothing but a way to simply remind everyone to watch what they say."

"The clan will be upset, Otou-san. Kaa-san is asking what you will do afterwards."

"I'll deal with it when it gets here, Itachi. Do tell me though, Miko, how did you manage to keep Naruto being here a secret?"

Mikoto shrugged. "No one really visited while you and Itachi were away, apart from Obito-kun and Shisui but they already know about Naru-chan."

Naruto looked up her. "Oba-chan, did Kashi-nii and Obi-nii come back?"

She smiled and smoothed his head. "You'll see them soon, I promise."

Her answer seemed to satisfy him as he went back to being silent and occasionally picking at the food on his plate. Fugaku noted that he didn't ate that much. It seemed strange to him because he thought, judging by how loud and energetic Naruto had proven to be the two days he was back at home, that the child would eat more.

 _Must not be all that comfortable here yet,_ he thought.

"Fugaku-sama," the suave Akino spoke up, "since it is still quite early in the afternoon, would you mind me proposing something?"

Fugaku squinted. "Unless it involves me doing anything other than staying in this house, feel free."

Akino looked at his fellow ninken. They bobbed their heads at each in agreement.

"We were hoping it would be okay if Naruto and Sasuke would accompany us to the Third Training Ground. Itachi would've gone with, but he's got other plans."

Fugaku turned to a coughing Itachi. "First time I've heard of this."

"My apologies, Otou-san. I already planned on seeing Shisui after lunch, but -" he looked down at the obliviously chewing Sasuke, "- he would have protested if I left him alone. I asked the ninken to accompany them instead."

Fugaku had to admit Itachi had a point. If he said anything that even resembled the words 'go' or 'leave' Sasuke would have thrown a tantrum. It wasn't as though the ninken weren't capable of looking after Sasuke and Naruto either, they had been helping Mikoto around the house after all and were technically ninjas themselves, so he supposed it wouldn't be the end of the world if Sasuke left with a non-family member.

"Alright, but be sure that no one sees Naruto or Sasuke. I'll have enough on my plate tomorrow as is."

Guruko bounced up and barked. "Yosh! Let's leave immediately."

Bisuke bit his tail. "Sit down, idiot-mutt! We haven't told them why we're even going to there in the first place. _And_ it's still lunch."

"Going?" Sasuke asked.

Fugaku rolled his eyes. _Of course, that's the first thing he pays attention to._

"Hai, Sasuke. The ninken are taking you and Naruto out for a little adventure. Doesn't that sound exciting?"

Sasuke stuck his tongue out at his mother's overly cheery voice. "Only if Nii-san goes."

 _As expected_.

"Sasuke," Fugaku said, intentionally deepening his voice slightly, "You will go with the ninken and Naruto while your brother meets with Shisui."

Mikoto slapped his hand with chopsticks she was holding. One of her eyes started to twitch violently as she tipped her head in Sasuke's direction.

Turns out he deepened his voice a little too much if Sasuke's tearing eyes were any indication to go by. Even Naruto gave him a dirty look.

"Don't cry, Sasuke-kun. It'll be fun even without Itachi because you'll be meeting a new friend," Akino told him.

"N-new friend?"

But before Akino could get another word out, Naruto jumped out of Mikoto lap.

"A new friend! Is it Hina-chan, Aki? Is it, is it?"

"Hi-na-chan," Mikoto said slowly before gasping. "Kami, Fugaku we have to go with them!"

She grabbed Fugaku's hand and started to shake him. "Please dear, we have to!"

"What? Miko, I wanted to stay in today! We don't even know who this 'Hina-chan' is anyway."

"Hina-chan is Hinata Hyuuga, Fugaku-sama. Naruto met her a few weeks ago and Kakashi thought it would be a good idea for them to meet up again. Hiashi-sama agreed as well," Akino said.

"I always wanted to meet Hyuuga-kun's daughter! Kushina-chan too, she was so excited when she heard his wife was also expecting the same time as us. Isn't that weird, Fugaku, we all went to the Academy together!"

But Fugaku was already shaking his head furiously. No way did he want to see that self-righteous, stick-in-the-mud freak. He had enough of him when they were in the Academy and when they had to go on missions together. He was overjoyed when they both became clan leaders, not because of the responsibility or the title, but because they had no reason to speak to each other than the occasional acknowledgement.

Whether it had to do with the fact that their clans rivalled each other or not, Fugaku Uchiha simply despised Hiashi Hyuuga. The only reason he tolerated him was because Mikoto was best friends with Kushina and Kushina loved to mess with Hiashi, and because Fugaku was friends with Minato and Minato was always with Kushina, Fugaku could never avoid Hiashi.

Kami, did he hate his Academy days.

"I think it will be fun, Otou-san. Surely, you and Hyuuga-sama have much to talk about. Sasuke, will you be okay with me leaving if Kaa-san and Otou-san go with you?"

Sasuke pouted but nodded. "What she like?" he asked Naruto.

Naruto stood still for moment. He smiled broadly. "I forgot," he giggled.

"Mikoto, I have no problem if you want to go with the children and the ninken. But I am _not_ going with."

Was what Fugaku said yet somehow still found himself face-to-face with the pupil-less clan leader.

Mikoto was introducing Hinata to Sasuke and trying to keep calm while the ninken stood around them. Fugaku was certain that this was a divine punishment.

"Fugaku Uchiha," Hiashi greeted monotonously.

"Hiashi Hyuuga," Fugaku responded with equal enthusiasm.

They stared at each other for a while, neither blinking as they were both unwilling to lose the challenge. That was until Fugaku yelped in pain when Naruto kicked him in the shin. Hiashi lip rose ever so slightly to the side but Fugaku chose to ignore it in order to glare at the child.

"Oba-chan said to kick you as hard as I can," Naruto stated simply.

"Miko-"

"You and Hyuuga-kun are spoiling the mood with your idiotic staring contest. Take yourselves to the other side of the field and talk about your feelings or whatever it is difficult men such as yourselves do."

Hiashi lifted his nose. "Have you no control of your woman, Fugaku?"

"Call me that again, Hyuuga-kun, and Hinata-chan will be the only Hyuuga returning home," Mikoto hissed at him.

Hiashi opened his mouth to retaliate but Fugaku was quick to stomped on his foot agree with Mikoto. "Of course, dear, we'll be leaving now."

She gave him a suspicious look but led the ninken and children to the shade of one of the many trees that surrounded the massive training ground. It's emptiness reminded Fugaku of his fight two days prior, but he said nothing of the sort.

"Are you looking for a fight, Fugaku?"

"I could ask the same of you. Look, Mikoto may be retired now, but she's still a Jonin and I'm sure you haven't forgotten who her tempers rivals. You should be thanking me."

Hiashi huffed. "Unlike you, I am no coward."

"I saw your eyes widen."

"They did not."

"Yes, they did."

"No, they did not!"

"Admit it. You're still scared of her."

"Still? I was never."

Fugaku snorted. "I distinctly remember Minato having to calm you down after Kushina threw that prank on you and Miko-"

"Stop, I do not want to be reminded of that incident."

"What incident?" Both Fugaku and Hiashi shrieked at the unfamiliar voice.

"Yo, Fugaku-san, Hiashi-san," Kakashi greeted nonchalantly, holding one hand up while the other held his infamous Icha-Icha novels and his visible eye showing no emotion like always.

"When did you get here?"

"-san? You should be addressing me with -sama."

Kakashi waved both of them off. "Firstly, I was here the whole time reading in that tree." He pointed at the tall white birch to the left. "Nice kick Naruto gave you. Bet ya wasn't expecting that much force, eh? Secondly, '-sama's' a bit too formal for my liking since we're going to be seeing each other often now, Hiashi-san. Our kids are friends after all."

"Friends?" Hiashi asked. "Hinata is not _friends_ with either of your brats. I only allowed her to see Naruto because your dog wouldn't leave me alone until I did. I would never have agreed if I knew _Uchiha_ would be here."

"Oho? And what makes precious Hinata better than my Sasuke, hmm? He can at least speak in _full_ sentences."

Hiashi activated his byakugan. "Now I am certain you are looking for a fight. Hinata's shy, that's all."

Fugaku activated his own dojutsu. "Let's settle this, Hiashi!"

Kakashi groaned and waved his arm between the two of them. "What is it with this village and rivalry. Kami, people say Obito and I are bad. You're acting worse than Naruto and Sasuke!"

That caught their attention. They both took a step back and deactivated their dojutsus.

"Why did you arrange this, Hatake-kun? Knowing you, you planned on us meeting here."

Kakashi scratched the back of his neck and gave a guilty chuckle. "I may or may not have encouraged Itachi to meet with Shisui today knowing that you already accepted Pakkun's invitation for Hinata to meet Naruto. I also may or may not have told Akino to only mention Hinata when Mikoto-san was in the room because she would have insisted on meeting her as well. But we'll never know for sure."

Fugaku pinched the bridge of his nose. "Hatake-kun, you better have a good reason for this or so help me."

"It's about tomorrow. I know that you both agreed to support Naruto's adoption and I trust that you'll keep that promise, however it's about what happens after."

Fugaku looked up. "What?"

"Hiashi-san, do you know what took place two days ago?"

"Without all the extra details, yes."

"Good because Fugaku-san and I will need your help."

"What?" Fugaku asked again, this time Hiashi said it with him.

"ROOT coming after both our teams and Shisui taking out majority of the subdivision was unexpected; everything I planned on doing to get rid of ROOT and stop a coup from happening is useless now. We need allies if we want this village to last."

Hiashi held his hand out. "Stop, Hatake-kun. What is all this about a coup?"

"None of you concern," Fugaku answered and stepped towards Kakashi.

Kakashi didn't step back. "Hokage-sama has enough evidence to strip Danzo's title and destroy ROOT, but that doesn't stop your clan from revolting. I was naïve in thinking that removing Danzo was all that was needed. Until Danzo's plan was found out, I didn't realise how vulnerable the Uchiha really are and the Hokage won't be able to resolve this with a simple signed paper."

"What are you implying, Hatake-kun?" Fugaku's voice was dangerously low.

"The only way to solve this is by giving your clan's status back. I don't trust the Hokage enough to do that or anyone in his position really." Kakashi took a breath. "I spoke to him today, alright. He confirmed something that made me realise that relying on him to fix this mess won't be permanent. Konoha is his priority, not the not us, shinobi, nor the Uchiha. He had a plan and it failed."

"Step away from the boy, Fugaku." Hiashi said.

"I will not agree to anything unless you inform me of exactly what's going on. Hatake-kun, what have you gotten yourself into? You're lacking your usual bravado."

Fugaku realised that Hiashi was right. He knew from how Kakashi spoke to him while they were still on their mission that while the ninja may seem confident and relaxed, he was anything but. The more he thought about it, Kakashi's sudden tempo change, his breath hitching while speaking, not reaching out to Naruto at all even though he hadn't seen him in so long, it was clear as daylight.

Kakashi was shaken up.

For some odd reason, he felt shamed that he only realised it now. He believed it to be because Kakashi made it his duty to protect Itachi, but he knew that that couldn't have been the only reason. Was it pity or sympathy?

Kakashi looked at the ground. "I'm dying. I had a check-up today…it- it's gotten a lot worse. Only my doctors and the Hokage was supposed to know, but Danzo found out. That's why everything turned out like this, he was confident enough that he didn't need to kill me himself because he thought I would have done it if my team was slaughtered."

"Am I correct in assuming that the Hokage intentionally let Danzo find out, trusting that it would lead to him gaining the upper hand?" Hiashi asked.

Kakashi nodded.

"Am I correct in assuming that this disease of yours has to do with your borrowed eye and that your mental health was main target in Danzo's plan."

Kakashi nodded.

"Then, Hatake-kun, am I correct in assuming that the reason why you called me here to meet with this buffoon is because you are hoping that stopping whatever this coup is about will be your last good deed for this village?"

Kakashi took longer to nod this time.

"You truly are a child."

"Hiashi!"

"What, Fugaku? He sounds like a coward, accepting his death without considering the possibility of survival. I've always respected your father, Hatake-kun, but I couldn't never find myself agreeing with his decision to leave this world. It seems to me that you are following his footsteps, right to the tee."

Kakashi blinked and took a step backwards. Fugaku noticed his arms were shaking at his side, his body seemed to tremble with anger.

"Then what am I supposed to do?!" Kakashi screamed. "For the first time since Sensei's death, I don't want to die. I don't want to leave anyone behind. But this illness, it's taking everything away from me."

"Itachi told me," Fugaku said quietly, "that there's someone on your team that is ill. He hasn't died yet and acts as though it no longer bothers him. What makes you different?"

Kakashi didn't answer.

"Take it from people who were friends with Minato, he would want you to live. I am not an expert in medicine, that's Tsunade-sama's job, but I know a thing or two about having a sharingan. Your body is still getting used to it, I do not know if it will kill you or not, but if you train with it properly enough, the results will be different."

Hiashi sighed. "This is what I get for listening to a talking mutt. Fugaku, Hatake-kun, the day will not last forever, so do tell me what it is that requires my assistance."

Fugaku kicked the ground. "Damn it, Hatake, Uchihas have pride. You better not make me regret telling Freaky Eyes, here, about this."

Fugaku decided to put his trust in Kakashi. Even if he couldn't stand Hiashi, the Hyuuga wouldn't exploit his clan's vulnerability for his own gain. Despite how cold and indifferent he seemed, Hiashi Hyuuga wasn't the type to stir unnecessary trouble unless he had a good reason for it.

He reluctantly told his rival about his clan's plans, ignoring the urge to pull Hiashi's hair out every time a snide remark was made. Kakashi mentioned what Itachi said earlier, the problem lay with what would happen after the council meeting.

Naruto was the vessel for the Kyuubi, the same beast that nearly destroyed the village and pushed the Uchiha further into a corner. Leaving the other clans aside, his own clan would bear some kind of resentment towards Kakashi because he would have both a sharingan _and_ the jinchuuriki in his possession. Fugaku was struggling to handle them as it were and they would without a doubt question why he didn't oppose Naruto's adoption.

Hiashi uncrossed his arms to sit down on the grass. He flicked his hair when he noticed Kakashi and Fugaku looking at him, and crossed his arms again.

"You Uchiha never cease to amaze me. The boy's right, though. If you consider the state you are in now to the plans that each of you already made to avoid disaster, neither would work out."

Hiashi blew a stray strand of long, ebony coloured hair out of his face. "What I fail to see is how I will be able to assist. Honestly, this village would be better off without constant threats interfering. Why not just let this coup happen and fail? You could take it from there and start your clan anew."

Kakashi had to restrain Fugaku from hitting Hiashi. "Can your forget about clan rivalry for a second? Even you have to admit, Hiashi-san, that Konoha stands as one of the most powerful hidden villages because of we have both the Hyuuga and the Uchiha. The coup doesn't just affect the Uchiha and the Hokage, it affects the entire village."

"I know that, Hatake-kun. I just don't see the point of trying to prevent something that would have happened no matter what you did to stop it. The only man I can see stopping something as big as this with little consequences has been dead for nearly four years."

Fugaku shrugged out of Kakashi's grasp. "I am already sinking my head into the ground by involving you and Hiashi, this whole exercise is pointless."

"Your pride is pointless. The Hyuuga has its own problems, yet we have never caused as much problems as you fools. The difference between us is the ability to control ourselves and keep things in the family. You should learn from that."

"Can you stop bickering and hear me out? And I was called a child," Kakashi said exasperated.

Kakashi took their silence as a yes. "I've been thinking a lot recently. Naruto, Sasuke and Hinata, they're each descendants of powerful clans. The Uzumaki clan may no longer exist, but the potential Naruto has because of his bloodline and the kyuubi, it can't be overlooked. If the three of them can grow up together, imagine the possibilities it can lead to."

"Are you suggesting a truce between our clans, Hatake-kun?"

"Exactly that, Hiashi-san. Out of the four noble clans that make up Konoha, the Uchiha and Hyuuga are the most powerful. Even if the Hokage promises equal rights to the Uchiha, the damage that already happened won't disappear. A truce between the two clans, as well as the potential friendship of an Uzumaki, will change how the rest of the village sees you."

Fugaku shook his head. "That doesn't stop the coup. If anything, it'll lead to more animosity between the clans."

"I'm not saying it'll prevent the coup, but it will lessen the hatred your clan feels, Fugaku-san. Use Naruto and I as way to show your dominance. If the leader of the Uchiha son's friends with the vessel, it will seem that in some way you have control over him. If the Hyuuga's clan heir is friends with the both of them, there won't be any favouritism."

"I agree," Hiashi said, shocking Kakashi and Fugaku.

He sighed. "Are you two going to act surprised whenever I say or do something that isn't egotistical? It _is_ part of the façade, you know. One must fake appearances to get far in life. Back to the matter at hand, I agree with what you said, Hatake-kun. A truce will be beneficial to both our clans and, as much as I hate to say it, Hinata will grow stronger if she continues to be a part of your brats' lives."

Fugaku looked down at him and gave a disbelieving laugh. "Are you, _Hiashi Hyuuga_ , actually agreeing to help me? Kami must be mocking us."

Hiashi grit his teeth. "Continue and I will force your clan into a coup myself."

Kakashi sweat dropped at the scene. "Oi, oi, calm down. Hiashi-san, I'll be taking your word for it. Fugaku-san, how your clan reacts and preventing any potential uprising will be up to you, but will you accept my proposal?"

Fugaku clicked his tongue. "Not like I have any other choice. My ancestors are rolling in their graves because I'm trusting a child that shouldn't have anything to do with me when it comes to clan matters."

Hiashi got up and dusted himself off. "Now that this matter is settled, I'll be going since I now have to think of ways to inform the clan elders." he gave Kakashi a simple nod. "Bring Hinata home with Naruto. Hizashi will be at the compound's entrance later, so no one else will see him."

Kakashi didn't get the chance to reply before Hiashi walked away and disappeared in a trail of smoke. Fugaku clapped him on the back.

"I'll have Shisui help you train with the sharingan. He trusts you just as much as Itachi, so I doubt he'll have a problem with it. For now, go to Mikoto and the children. I really don't want to be here, so I will take the scolding later. She was just as worried about you as she was for Itachi and I."

Kakashi stared at him and gave a genuine eye-smile. "Thank you."

Fugaku simply clapped him on the back again and walked away. He hated the entire situation, truly, but he couldn't help but feel glad that even if he couldn't be assured of his clan's standing in the future, for the very least, he had allies.

_Minato would be proud._

* * *

Sitting around a long table with the Hokage at the head, was the leader of each prominent clan in Konoha. On his right, sat the clan heads of Konoha's four noble clans, Shibi Aburame of the Aburame clan, Choza Akimichi of the Akimichi clan, Hiashi Hyuuga of the Hyuuga clan and Fugaku Uchiha of the Uchiha clan.

On his left, sat Shikaku Nara of the Nara clan, Inoichi Yamanaka of the Yamanaka clan, Tsume Inuzuka of the Inuzuka clan and, at the very end of the table laughing sheepishly and scratching the back of his neck, sat a very nervous Kakashi Hatake representing the Hatake clan.

Adjacent to Kakashi and directly opposite of the Hokage sat his two advisors, Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane, each giving the young Hatake a disdainful look, or rather giving the child he held to his chest a disdainful look.

Naruto buried his face in Kakashi's chest, grabbing at the thin material of Kakashi's navy blue shirt he wore under the standard flak jacket with his small hands. His eyes were shut and with each sound, be it a whisper or the scraping of a chair against the tiled floor, his legs would twitch, and Naruto would grab on tighter to Kakashi.

All eyes were on him. Hiashi gave him a disapproving stare and Fugaku's lip twitched in disbelief, giving a silent message of 'Are you serious right now?'.

Shikaku adjusted his spiky high ponytail and yawned, stretching his arms onto the mahogany table and resting his head on them. Choza stared confusedly at the strange duo as he snacked on a bag of potato chips he brought with, ignoring the look of disgust Hiashi was giving him.

Inoichi was poking a sleeping Tsume, her spiky head thrown to the back of her chair, snoring softly in her deep sleep while her purple-stained lips twitched every so often. Her face was rested in an annoyed appearance and her eyebrows raised every so often when Inoichi poked at red fang marks on her cheeks.

Shibi Aburame's sat deadly still, his eyes were hidden by his dark shades, head tucked in his high collared white jacket, and eyebrows crossed. Kakashi was unable to tell what the man was thinking or if he was even awake as his appearance was the same as it always was. Strange and seemingy unbothered.

The Hokage, who held an unlit pipe in mouth in consideration of Naruto, took a deep breath, released it, and knocked his fist on the table.

"Tsume, wake up, Shikaku, raise your head and sit up straight," he ordered.

Immediately, Tsume woke up but not without punching an unsuspecting Inoichi in the jaw, launching Shikaku in a flying fit of laughter. He stopped laughing when the Hokage frowned at him and sighed.

"Alright, alright," he said.

Hiruzen nodded. "Respected clan leaders, and honourable advisors, I have called you today for a matter of great importance. As you all know, this meeting was to take place three days ago, unfortunately due to certain circumstances we were unable to hold it."

"By circumstances you mean Fugaku putting Danzo in hospital, Shisui Uchiha-kun injuring nine of Danzo's men and killing one, and Kakashi and Obito celebrating after knocking out his two guards."

Hiruzen's eye twitched. "I am sure we are all well aware of what happened, Shikaku. The matter's still being investigated into to, so there is no need to bring it up at this point in time."

Shibi raised his hand. "Then, Hokage-sama, judging by Kakashi Hatake's presence and the Uzumaki child, is this meeting about the child's new caretaker or the behaviour of the villagers towards him."

"I was getting to that, Shibi, but yes. The reason I have called this meeting was to announce that Kakashi Hatake, after a trial period to test his competency in child-rearing, has officially adopted Naruto Uzumaki."

Choza dropped the chip packet, its content falling on to the brown haori Hiashi wore over his pristine white kimono. Fugaku pulled his arm to sit down when the Hyuuga activated his byakugan and attempted to stand.

Tsume banged her fist against the table. "HUH?!" she shouted, but lowered her voice when she noticed Naruto's squirming. "Huh?!"

"Tsume, the decision's final. This meeting is simply to introduce Naruto officially as the adopted son of Kakashi Hatake and to address any qualms you might have regarding my decision."

"Hokage-sama," began Koharu, her hands playing with the pearled needle used to keep her grey hair up in a neat twin bun. Her voice was soft but sharp, much like her appearance. Looking like a gentle old woman but possessing the skills to scare the most fearsome of ninjas.

"Surely you know the delicacy of this matter. How could you make a decision like this without discussing it with Homura and I first?"

The man next to her nodded, adjusting his glasses when it slipped slightly. He stroked his grey beard as he frowned.

"The child is the village's jinchuuriki, he cannot be allowed to be raised by just any ninja, especially not this one. I do not agree with this decision, Hokage-sama."

Kakashi rubbed Naruto's back with one hand and clenched the other. "Advisor-sama, please refrain from using certain words in front of him. He has a name and it's Naruto."

Hiruzen put his hand up before Homura could retort. "Homura, the decision is final. Kakashi has proven himself to be a suitable guardian and he is correct. I will not tolerate _anyone_ calling him by anything other than his given name."

Homura reluctantly kept quiet. Kakashi covered Naruto's ears and continued to soothe him.

"Good. Now, everyone here, with the exception of Kakashi and Naruto, is both a leader of a powerful clan and an outstanding shinobi. Prejudice should not be a trait any of you possess. The purpose of this meeting is to address the strategy moving forward. Kakashi has requested a moment to speak before anyone raises their objections and I have granted him that request."

He looked at Kakashi, gesturing to take it from there. Kakashi coughed and sat up a bit straighter.

"I know that to many Naruto is nothing more than a vessel and after the damage the village suffered because of thr kyuubi, I understand why you may not agree with him being adopted. However, no matter how you look at it, he is still a child. A child that has been abused in the past, scorned by people that should be protecting him and has suffered greatly because of a decision he did not make." Kakashi looked down at Naruto and smiled, glad that no one would be able to see it.

"The Yondaime made that decision and it saved the village, should he not be treated as a hero instead? He bears a burden that none of us would be able to, and so did his mother and her aunt. You all forget that Mito Uzumaki, the Shodaime's wife and a powerful kunoichi who contributed to this village's prosperity was in the same position as him.

"Konoha is corrupted. Living in peace for a few years doesn't assure that we will always be safe. Naruto is our hope for the future, he shares the same blood as the man who gave his all for the village and the women who none of us will ever be able to compare to. I assure you that under my parentage, Naruto will grow to be a powerful ninja to serve our village."

Kakashi took his eye off Naruto and looked at the Hokage. He gave an eye-smile, signalling that it was the end of his speech.

Shikaku squinted at him before chuckling, slapping Inoichi on the shoulder. "Well said, Kakashi-kun. You have my approval, not that it's needed but it's there, and I'm sure that the rest of the InoShikaCho agree."

Inoichi rubbed his shoulder. "Well yes, I don't necessarily have a problem with Kakashi-kun raising Naruto, but I do have my reservations." He looked around the table. "We all know that Naruto is far from an ordinary child, his abilities and potential is unknown, so how can we be assured that he will be raised accordingly?"

"Inoichi-san is correct," Shibi stated. "Kakashi-kun, by the looks of it, Naruto appears to be weaker than the average civilian child. His stature is small even for his age and I can barely pick up any chakra signature from him. Assuming that you have been with him longer than a month, could you tell us exactly how you've been raising him?"

Kakashi tapped his cheek. "The thing is-" he laughed nervously. "-well the thing is, he's already been 'training' under my ANBU squad. But-but-but it wasn't anything special, just simple games to increase his stamina and certain skills, and some chakra control exercises, and we've been teaching him before bedtimes."

He received a flabbergasted silence.

"I'm not training him for war, okay? Look, Obito thought training him would help you guys trust me to raise him."

"O-bi-to, as in Obito Uchiha," Choza asked slowly.

Kakashi shrugged, not knowing what else to do. He immediately regretted mentioning his squad and Obito's name.

"So you're telling us that your squad, Team Rou, the same squad that causes problems on the simplest of missions even though you're ANBU, and _Obito Uchiha_ have been helping you raise Naruto?" Tsume asked, her voice sounding strangely strained.

"Kami have mercy on this village," she said after a while.

"Ahem," Fugaku raised his hand. The Hokage raised an eyebrow but gestured for him to speak.

"Thank you, Hokage-sama. I would like to make a proposition."

"As would I," Hiashi said, glancing at Fugaku from the corner of his eye.

Kakashi held in a groan. _Konoha really is special when it comes to pointless rivalries._

"As I was saying, given that my son, Itachi, is a part of Team Rou and that Naruto is the vessel for a certain…beast," Fugaku hesitated on the wording. "I would like to monitor Kakashi's parenting skills. My younger son is also the same age as Naruto, so I believe it would work out well."

"Ano, Fugaku-san, all of us have children the same age as Naruto. Basing it on that fact alone doesn't make you more qualified to monitor Kakashi anymore than the rest of us."

Hiashi crossed his arms and dipped his head. "Exactly, Inoichi Yamanaka-san. Which is why I volunteer to monitor his monitoring," he said, voice even and without a hint of sarcasm.

Silence filled the room once more.

"Sorry, what?" Choza asked.

"It is no secret, Choza Akimichi-san, that Fugaku clearly has hidden agendas for wanting to monitor Hatake-kun's child-rearing."

Kakashi desperately wanted to leave the room when he noticed the vein in Fugaku's forehead began to swell.

"I'm sure that's not his inten-" but Hiashi ignored him and continued to speak.

"Therefore, it is only necessary that I, Hiashi Hyuuga, clan head of the strongest clan in Konoha and receiver of Fugaku's unrequited rivalry, be the one to ensure that his hidden agendas are not successful. My daughter, Hinata, is also Naruto's age so they would make a fine pair of acquaintances."

"We've already established that having a child Naruto's age doesn't make-"

Fugaku turned to face Hiashi, ignoring the rest of Inoichi's sentence. Kakashi felt an odd sense of solidarity for Inoichiseeing as they both were victims of being ignored by the rest of the council.

"Teme! You just want to make me look suspicious!" Fugaku accused Hiashi.

Hiashi flipped his hair. "No less than you already are. It is too coincidental that your eldest son happens to be on Kakashi's squad, while the other is Naruto's age."

"And how is that my fault?!"

Naruto started to squirm again and Kakashi questioned what the point of talking to the fighting clan heads the day before was. Hiashi seemed to have forgotten everything discussed and simply started to throw accusations at Fugaku.

"Aggressively defending yourself, how shameless. You see, Hokage-sama? This is why my help is needed."

Slowly, Kakashi and Naruto's presence was forgotten as Hiashi and Fugaku began to bicker back and forth. Shikaku, whose face rivalled a tomato, started hitting Inoichi as he laughed. Choza went back to snacking on the forgotten pack of chips and opened a new one when he finished it. Tsume looked left to right, unsure of what to say or do. And Shibi…looked and acted the same as always. Strange and seemingly unbothered.

The advisors muttered amongst themselves and the Hokage removed his pointy red hat to massage his forehead.

As Kakashi watched the commotion, he failed to notice Naruto twist around in his grip. Naruto rubbed his small fists against his eyes and blinked a few times before opening them completely.

"Kashi-nii, where are we?" he asked, bringing the room back to reality.

Everyone froze to look at the child. His confused face flushed slightly, bright blue eyes staring curiously at nothing in particular, blinking slowly at his surrounding, and mouth pulled into a small pout, was not quite what they expected. Then again, just what did they expect?

"He's very cute," Choza said, breaking the silence.

Tsume leaned over to the side to poke his cheek but pulled back when Naruto let out a fearful shriek.

"He's not good with strangers," Kakashi told her.

"Seems to have taken a liking to you easily," she commented.

Kakashi didn't answer.

Shibi coughed. "Right, Hokage-sama, I feel that this meeting has gone on for too long. We should reach a conclusion."

"That I agree with, Shibi. Naruto," the Hokage called out to him, "could you come here please?" He held his arms out in front of him.

Naruto turned to Kakashi for help, but the older boy only pat his head and carefully put him down on the floor. The room watched in anticipation as the toddler padded his way to the Hokage's chair. Once he got there, Hiruzen picked him up and placed him in his lap.

"As you all can see, Naruto's nothing short of an innocent child. There's nothing different about him to any of your children, except for that one particular fact. He will be going home with Kakashi, whether you agree or not, but any issues you have may be raised."

"Hey, Naruto-kun," came Shikaku's voice. "What do you think of that guy over there?" he pointed to Kakashi.

"Kashi-nii…Kashi-nii's the best," was all he said. His face reddened even more, and he chewed on his lip.

Shikaku tried his best to keep his face neutral. "He really is cute. Hokage-sama, I really don't see anything wrong with the arrangement. Inoichi, Choza?"

Inoichi smiled. "If Kakashi-kun's words are to be trusted, then I have no doubt in the ninja he'll grow up to be. Though, I will agree with Fugaku-san and Hiashi-san."

"Same with me," Choza muttered with his mouth full.

Tsume crossed her arms and nodded sagely. "I look forward to seeing him grow."

"I don't have any queries with the adoption. I believe that it would be interesting to say the least," Shibi said.

Hiruzen didn't wait to listen to the advisor. "If it is just complaints, you can save it for the meeting we will have after this. Homura, Koharu, we have much to discuss."

The Hokage turned to the Uchiha and Hyuuga.

"Fugaku, I will grant you your request. Yours as well, Hiashi. Do not abuse it."

"Of course, Hokage-sama," they said in unison.

Kakashi thought he was seeing things when he noticed the fist-bump they gave each other when the Hokage turned away. Had they planned their argument, wanting to make it seem as unsuspicious as possible?

It made sense, everyone would've been on alert if Hiashi and Fugaku agreed on something _together_. That was as crazy as Konoha being on good terms with Iwa.

Kakashi, did however, have the suspicion that while they might have been acting, some part of their exchange was personal. Their neutral voices seemed _too_ neutral and Kakashi swore he saw both leaders cringe when they realised what they did.

Finally, the Hokage looked at him. "Kakashi, you will raise Naruto to the best of your ability. Should anything happen, you will be held responsible as you are taking the role as Naruto's parent. Any issues you may have, should be taken up with Fugaku or Hiashi as they will be monitoring you and ensuring that you and Team Rou, for that matter, take this duty as priority. I will also check in from time to time."

"I understand, Hokage-sama," Kakashi said without a moment of hesitation.

"Then, Kakashi Hatake, you are officially the guardian of Naruto Uzumaki."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It is currently nearly midnight so I apologise if there's any grammar mistakes in chapter. I only proofread my work before pubishing it.
> 
> Next chapter will be an omake, but still "canon/plot relevant" chapter detailing the events which took place on Naruto's 4th birthday. I also updated my other fic, centred around Naruhina, so please make sure to check it out.
> 
> It's based on the cliched amnesia trope, but with a supernatural twist and added dimensions to the characters. It is called My Escape. Another thing, I once again opened polls, so please vote for any of the options give.
> 
> Please read, review hit the kudos button.


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